Aqib Talib steps aside from his job with Amazon

Posted by Mike Florio on August 21, 2022, 9:25 PM EDT
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Last weekend, the brother of Aqib Talib allegedly shot and killed a man at a youth football game in Texas. Aqib was there. And while he hasn’t been charged with a crime, the situation continues to be messy and confusing and ultimately ominous.

And so Talib won’t be working for Amazon this season.

Talib told Ian Rapoport of NFL Media that the long-time NFL defensive back will be stepping away from his broadcasting duties to spend time with his family.

It feels like the final product of a carefully-manicured P.R. strategy. Amazon surely didn’t want Talib on the air, given the situation. The NFL surely didn’t want Amazon to put Talib on the air, given the situation.

Thus, Talib got a chance to walk away. And he took it.

It’s really not a surprise. From the moment the situation first came to light, it felt as if Talib’s stint with Amazon would be unsustainable.

Maybe, at some point, he’ll be able to do it again. He’s very entertaining on TV. But plenty of things need to be figured out about the incident from last weekend in Texas before that can ever happen.

A first-round pick of the Buccaneers in 2008, Talib played for Tampa Bay, New England, Denver, Rams, and Dolphins.

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56 responses to “Aqib Talib steps aside from his job with Amazon”

  1. This guys history alone made it baffling for him to get this kind of gig in the first place.

    Trends and behaviors are undefeated

  4. Just looking at the video and hearing the eye witness reports both he and his brother should be spending time in jail. He started the fight, chased the guy and escalated the situation. So while his bother pulled the trigger, both are responsible for a man’s death. And it’s not the first or even the second time these two clowns have been involved with a shooting.

  5. His career in TV is done. He wasn’t that good to begin with and now even more baggage.

  6. It’s smart to time with your family while you’re still a free man, Aqib. If the reports that Aqib started this confrontation are true it’ll be nearly impossible to avoid jail.

  7. I know he had his detractors, but I really enjoyed him as a color commentator. Not sure we’ll ever see him in the booth again though. The entire thing was dumb, senseless and heartbreaking all in one. And may have ended his career while taking his brother’s freedom and ending a life. He’ll never live it down.

  8. Phew! Amazon stockholders will be relieved that the perpetually-offended called off their threatened boycott and saved the company from bankruptcy . . .

  9. How is it that Amazon signed this guy in the first place? Even a routine web search would’ve revealed that Talib had more than one “shots fired” incident in the past. Would’ve taken less than a minute. That’s a failure to perform even routine due diligence work in making a hire. It’s not like there’s a shortage of ex-players who could fill time on pre- and postgame shows with shallow “analysis” fed to them by production assistants.

  10. “Step away” before you’re fired. Smart thinking. Unlike some other decisions he’s made.

  15. “Plenty of things need to be figured out about the incident.” Tip toeing around it huh? Well let me help you: he instigated the whole thing. He has a history of bullying these refs at these youth football games. He did nothing to calm the situation. He is the ONE person everyone would’ve listened to and Aqib Talib acted like Aqib Talib. You’re welcome.

    Furthermore he is not entertaining to listen to. He is a terrible person. Good night.

  16. If he didn’t pull the trigger why should he face backlash?

    Am I my brothers keeper?

  17. He’s an accomplice in the murder. Who knows what else he and his brother have bewn involved with in the past.

    Who brings a gun to a kid’s game? You have to question the sanity of these kinds of people.

  20. It’s being claimed by witnesses that Aqib Talib incited the brawl that led to this shooting incident. IF that’s true,it’s best to keep him off the air. The NFL has enough black eyes right now. I just can’t understand why a gun was brought to a kid’s football game. That’s just crazy.

  23. Not a good look starting the fight where someone ends up dead. I predict it will be his pockets being emptied in the civil case.

  24. He’s a terrible color analyst. Just awful. Amazon caught a break with him leaving. Guy’s a total clown.

  25. “He’s entertaining on TV”…. That’s cool…. How’s his attitude at youth football games? Sounds like he has a past, and a present for that matter. Does being a good person disqualify you from jobs these days? It’s bizarre of all the talent in the world, Amazon chose someone like Talib.

  26. His brother shot and killed a youth football coach and the reports say he was somehow involved in the fracas as well. It should’ve been Amazon pulling the trigger for the negative press, not him. Seems like he was being a great role model for the kids, you know the kids who grow up in troubled neighborhoods and need a positive influence in their lives. The NFL cares, well not so much the NFL or the players, but they do have uplifting commercials. SMH.

  27. What in hell is wrong with his brother bringing a gun to a youth game and murdering a man?! He’s not his brother’s keeper, but it’s hard to think he didn’t at least know that his brother was packing! Maybe he didn’t know that or of his deranged state of mind, but it’s tough for Amazon to take that on in it’s inaugural season covering the NFL.

  28. I hope that he’s eventually back on the air. Much prefer him to Troy Aikman or Tony Romo.

  33. I don’t think he ever played a game for Miami.

    As for the incident. That video isn’t good.

  34. Fighting at a youth game and your brother carried a gun on that field. Bye broadcasting career

  35. Sadly, it won’t be the last time we hear about this family, dysfunction follows this group.

  36. That’s too bad. Talib is very entertaining as an announcer and extremely knowledgeable, especially when breaking down the WR versus the DB battles during a game. I hope this unfortunate incident gets resolved and he’s able to be back on the air.

  38. A Denver fan here as well of the NFL. He & his brother have major issues. For sure he knew his brother had a gun. Heck a few years ago he shot himself! Time to look in the mirror and make major changes. Look to your own family & ask is this normal behavior?

  39. longlivedansnyder says:
    August 21, 2022 at 10:30 pm
    If he didn’t pull the trigger why should he face backlash?

    Am I my brothers keeper?
    ——

    When a shooting occurs as a result of a physical altercation, everyone involved in the fight is subject to charges resulting from the shooting. Reports are that Talib started and escalated the fight.

    It’s not that he would face charges for not stopping his brother, he would face charges for being the reason the whole thing happened.

  42. Regardless of how Aqib is trying to spin it, I’m pretty sure what REALLY happened, was something like this! “Aqib, can I see you in my office? Oh, and can you bring all of your personal stuff with you?”

  43. the legal entanglement aside

    I’m going to miss him on the broadcast – I can guarantee you he would have been very entertaining

  45. We need to stop trying to normalize and making people like Talib acceptable and palatable to the general public.
    Every time I see him or hear his name I think of all the stuff he’s gotten into on & off the field.
    But hey….OJ Simpson has TV experience…why not see if he’s interested?

  46. Most people with his colorful history probably have a difficult time finding any job let alone an on-air job with Amazon. I guess that’s the privilege of being a professional athlete.

  49. What a trash family the Talibs are. Hope justice is served, but something tells me with how things seem to be operating nowadays, they will get a slap on the wrist

  51. “Maybe, at some point, he’ll be able to do it again. He’s very entertaining on TV.” Aqib Talib is perhaps one of the worst in the broadcast game. Not well spoken, provides little insight into what is going on in a play, and leaves a lot of dead air when the play-by-play announcer is clearly waiting for some color. He did well fashioning his game after his hero Deion Sanders…unfortunately, he appears to have taken his announcing style from Aqib Talib as well.

  52. Maybe its standard practice in his immediate family to go around packing. And if that is true, I believe that makes him an accessory before the fact – or something like that. End result, both siblings were involved in the altercation – both should be painted with the same brush I would think.

  54. So now it’s common place for a youth anysport coach to carry gun? Do the Refs need security? I guess all coaches should have security. A park with kids playing is no place to take personal protection lightly.

  55. Talib had a long and productive career as a CB and could be very quirky and entertaining during his time as a broadcaster. With that said, he has a long history of entitled, needlessly aggressive and generally lowlife behavior. Sadly, that he would instigate a situation that would eventually lead to a completely avoidable fatality is not something that should particularly shock anyone familiar with his backstory. Don’t be surprised if some measure of legal jeopardy is soon attached to him in connection with this very unfortunate incident. No, the decision to step aside from the Amazon gig was certainly not spearheaded by Talib.

  56. The separation from Amazon became inevitable as soon as the event happened, that much was obvious. The only question was how it would happen. He could pull himself to maintain a little more dignity, or be unceremoniously booted if he did not take that other path. But it was happening. I think everyone knew that.

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