A reunion in Miami is not going to happen this holiday season.
After Shaquil Barrett applied to be reinstated this week, the Dolphins have elected not to activate the pass rusher from the reserve/retired list, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Thursday, per sources informed of the situation.
The deadline to activate Barrett was at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday, and he will remain on the reserve/retired list for the remainder of the season.
Rapoport adds that Miami does not intend to release Barrett, which would allow him to play for another team.
Barrett signed with the Dolphins in free agency after he was released from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The two-time Super Bowl winner announced on July 20 that he was retiring from the NFL after nine seasons and said he was "ready to shift my full focus to my wife and kids."
On Tuesday, Rapoport reported that Barrett had applied for reinstatement after announcing his retirement this summer. NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe reported that Barrett was willing to play now and wants to play for the Dolphins.
The Dolphins denied Barrett's request and he will stay on the reserve/retired list, which means he will be out for the rest of the season.
"In just talking with (general manager) Chris (Grier) where are roster is at and the players that have earned the right to be on it, it is just a numbers game in the NFL so the timing I don't think was necessarily ideal," head coach Mike McDaniel said of the decision after the Dolphins' Thanksgiving game on Thursday.
McDaniel had been surprised when asked about the pass rusher's unretirement and desire to play.
"No, so that's why it's just kind of news as you guys got it, it's to us," McDaniel said Tuesday about Barrett's request to return. "So we'll sort through that. The Tuesday of a Thursday night game, it's tough to kind of totally know the way -- I've got to talk to (general manager) Chris (Grier) first and I've just got done with a meeting and about to go to another one. So we'll get to do that, but I hadn't had any communication."
On Thursday, Miami decided not to let Barrett join the squad midseason.
Over the course of his career, Barrett has recorded 400 tackles, 125 QB hits, 73 tackles for loss, 59 sacks, 22 forced fumbles and three interceptions in 131 games.
In Barrett's place, linebackers Jordyn Brooks and Emmanuel Ogbah have combined for 4.5 sacks, 10 QB hits, 13 tackles for loss and one interception, respectively.
With Miami (5-6) in the playoff hunt, the Dolphins will now fully shift their focus to Thursday's Thanksgiving game against the Green Bay Packers at 8:20 p.m. ET at Lambeau Field.
