Anthony Barr Makes Major Career Decision
Long before young head coach Kevin O’Connell was hired to implement his shiny, high-flying offense with Justin Jefferson as the focal point of his aerial attack, the Vikings appointed Mike Zimmer, an older coordinator, to fix the defense by infusing some toughness.
Anthony Barr Makes Major Career Decision
The year was 2014, and a few months later, he oversaw his first draft as a head coach. GM Rick Spielman quickly set the tone for his tenure when he selected Anthony Barr, a physical freak out of UCLA, to be a cornerstone of the new Zimmer defense. Together with Teddy Bridgewater, the duo was supposed to lead the franchise for a decade.
Barr would spend his entire Vikings career (outside of a brief return in 2023) with Zimmer, as he actually departed from the organization the same year as his old mentor, with the regime change following the 2021 campaign.
Now, Barr is ready to call it a career, his foundation Raise the Barr announced on Instagram.
“After an amazing ten-year career, Anthony Barr will officially retire from the NFL in just a few weeks.”
Barr has dealt with some knee issues for a while, and at the age of 33, he is done playing football. The linebacker last played in the NFL in 2023, wearing a Vikings uniform. Jordan Hicks was forced to sit out some games, and as the franchise was a linebacker short, Barr was ready to provide some depth. He ultimately appeared in four games and logged one tackle, wearing the number 54, which was previously worn by his college and Vikings teammate Eric Kendricks.
“From the start, he used his platform not just to play, but to build Raise The Barr, turning his success on the field into real impact for families like his,” the post of the foundation continued. “While his football days are coming to a close, Anthony will remain focused on the mission, because the families counting on us need support now more than ever. This August, as we honor his legacy and welcome new scholars, we’re focused on Building New Opportunities. Soon, we’ll be announcing a special way to give in his honor. Stay tuned to find out more!”
You can find out more about his foundation here.
Prior to his journey with the Vikings, the defender was a star on UCLA’s campus after switching positions to linebacker. He started as a running back, unusual for a guy of his size at 6’5″. The position change was a massive success as he fired up 149 tackles, 23.5 sacks, and 41.5 tackles for loss in only two seasons on defense. Of course, he drew first-round interest because of his production and exciting athleticism on tape and at the scouting combine.
Zimmer got his man, who became one of his leaders early in his career, shining as a rookie. When Kendricks joined a year later, Zimmer implemented his double-A look, sending both young linebackers to the line of scrimmage to confuse offenses.
Barr has been used differently in the NFL than in college, where he was a pass-rusher. Under Zimmer, he was an off-ball linebacker, and he was a pretty good one, playing in the Pro Bowl four straight times from 2015 to 2018. In 102 games with the purple team, Barr recorded 496 tackles, 39 tackles for loss, and 17.5 sacks.
After his first departure, Barr played over 600 snaps for the Dallas Cowboys in 2022, but he was let go in the following offseason. The Vikings were his next and final stint in the league. Barr didn’t play in 2024.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.