Jordan McAlpine
SPORTS EDITOR
Just three years ago, Rams kicker and former Maverick Greg Zuerlein kicked a 53-yard field goal in LA’s 13-3 loss to New England. Flashback to the 1970s and Marlin Briscoe, the man nicknamed The Magician, was a key part of a Miami Dolphins team that won a pair of Super Bowl championships.
Fast forward to 2021, Omaha will be represented in the Super Bowl yet again. This time, it’s a former Maverick once again, as Tampa Bay Buccaneers outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett will be making his second Super Bowl appearance.
A standout lineman at Boys Town High School, Barrett was a member of the now-defunct UNO football program for the 2010 season. He went on to finish his collegiate career at Colorado State after the sport was cut in the spring of 2011. After transferring to CSU, Barrett was named the Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2013.
Feb. 7 won’t be Barrett’s first taste of the Big Game. The former Maverick recorded one tackle in Super Bowl L. The Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers 24-10 in that 2015 win. He’ll become just the second former Maverick to appear in the Super Bowl multiple times, joining Briscoe who did so in 1973 and 1974.
He’s one of five Mavericks to appear in a Super Bowl, along with Briscoe, Chris Bober, Chris Cooper and Zuerlein. Of the five, Barrett and Briscoe are the only ones who have won a ring. Briscoe owns two.
From running around the turf that freshman season at Caniglia Field, to sacking Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers three times in the NFC Championship game, it’s been quite the journey for Barrett.
As a guy who had mostly flown under the radar, the Boys Town product went undrafted in 2014 before signing a three-year contract with the Denver Broncos. Barrett was a member of the Broncos organization from 2014-2018.
He signed a one-year contract with Tampa Bay following the 2018 season. In his first season with the Buccaneers, 2019, he recorded a league leading and career high 19.5 sacks. He finished the season with 58 total tackles, six forced fumbles, two pass deflections and one interception. The Buccaneers placed the franchise tag on him last March.
The Second Team All-Pro member had no issues backing up that 2019 performance this season, however. Barrett racked up 57 tackles and eight sacks in the regular season, and he’ll look to add to it Sunday. Better yet, he’ll look to add a second title next to that Nebraska-Omaha on the resume.
Super Bowl LV kicks off at 5:30 p.m. CT on Feb. 7. The Buccaneers will take on Kansas City Chiefs, who are looking to win back-to-back championships.
