Watch: Buccaneers' Shaquil Barrett addresses playing after daughter’s death
Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Shaquil Barrett spoke publicly with reporters Monday for the first time since his two-year-old daughter tragically passed away earlier this spring.
"This is a daily battle. Tough battle," Barrett admitted, according to Jenna Laine of ESPN. "I felt it heavier today than I did the last couple days. Her smile—I just miss her so much. Her energy, just like putting her to bed every night, reading stories. She just brought so much brightness and wholeness and completeness to our lives. And we most definitely have a big, big, big, big, big hole in our hearts and our lives that we won't be able to fill."
It was learned on April 30 that Arrayah, Barrett's daughter, drowned in the family's pool. Following that heartbreaking accident, Barrett and his wife Jordanna are starting a foundation called "Arrayah Hope" that will provide free swim lessons to children in the Tampa area in an attempt to prevent other families from experiencing similar losses.
Earlier in April, Barrett vowed he'd be ready for the start of the upcoming regular season this September after he suffered a campaign-ending torn Achilles during a game against the Baltimore Ravens in late October. As disappointing as that setback was at the time, it allowed Barrett to enjoy precious moments with Arrayah and other family members.
"I'm not happy I got hurt, but I'm happy that I was able to spend all that extra time well from being hurt last year," Barrett explained. "So it, like, that was a hindsight, I'm looking back, I'm glad I was able to have that extra time with her so I could have more bonding time and experiences with her."
As noted by Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, Shaquil and Jordanna have three older children and are expecting another daughter to arrive this coming February.
"We know there's no replacing Arrayah," Shaquil Barrett added on Monday. "There's nothing ever in this world that can happen to replace our baby girl...She would've been the best big sister. Like, it just, it's bittersweet. It's bittersweet 'cause I know she's in a better place, but I would 100% prefer her to be here with us, selfishly."
Per Scott Smith of the Buccaneers' website, Barrett said Monday he felt "as close to 100% [physically] as you can possibly be a couple days into camp." While plenty can and will occur between now and the Week 1 matchup at the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 10, it sounds like Barrett is on track to make what will likely be an emotional return to the lineup that Sunday afternoon.
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