Report: Four-time Pro Bowl linebacker retiring

Barr joined the Vikings in 2014 and as expected he immediately took on a full-time starting role. The former ninth overall pick developed into a mainstay on defense throughout his first Minnesota stint. Barr collected a Pro Bowl nod every year from 2015-18, and his consistent production helped his stock coming off his rookie deal.

The UCLA product re-signed with the Vikings on a five-year, $67.5M pact in 2019. That contract initially appeared to be a fruitful investment for the team, as Barr played 14 games that season and remained an every-down player on defense. After that, however, a pectoral tear limited him to just two games in 2020 and he missed considerable time the following year as well. A parting of ways with the Vikings ensued.

After drawing interest from a number of suitors, Barr took a one-year Cowboys deal in the summer of 2022. That set up a single campaign with Dallas, during which he was not a full-time starter but still logged over 600 snaps. The Cowboys elected not to retain him. Once again, Barr found himself on the radar of multiple suitors, but midway through the 2023 campaign he elected to return to the Vikings.

Initially signing on Minnesota’s practice squad, Barr wound up making four appearances during his second stint with the team. To little surprise, he did so in a limited role on both defense and special teams. A similar workload would have likely been in store had he signed with a team last year or in time for the coming campaign.

Barr will instead now turn his attention to his post-playing days at the age of 33. In all, he made 123 combined regular and postseason appearances – all but eight of which were starts – while compiling 554 tackles and 18.5 sacks upon transitioning from edge rusher to linebacker at the NFL level. Barr accumulated roughly $63M in career earnings.