With preparation for Week 1 in full swing ahead of the 2020 NFL season, free agent cornerback Aqib Talib took to Twitter to officially announce his retirement.

Aqib Talib was initially taken with the 20th overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before he was traded to the New England Patriots during the 2012 campaign. It was with the Patriots that he was named to his first Pro Bowl and All-Pro team of his career.

The Denver Broncos rewarded Talib with a lucrative contract in free agency and it soon paid huge dividends as he helped establish the ‘No Fly Zone' in the secondary alongside Chris Harris Jr., Bradley Roby, Darian Stewart, and T.J. Ward. This group served as the catalyst for Denver's championship runs snd victory in Super Bowl 50.

Following his successful tenure with the Broncos, Aqib Talib was traded to the Los Angeles Rams heading into the 2018 campaign. He once again managed to make his presence felt by playing an integral role in their resurgence that resulted in a trip to Super Bowl LIII against his former team in the Patriots.

Despite his prolonged stay on the market this offseason, Talib revealed that head coach Bill Belichick was looking to bring him in to help cover tight ends in their defensive scheme, however, a quick look at the schedule and all the elite players on it was more than enough for him to turn it down.

Regardless, he can take solace in the fact that he was able to end a stellar career as a give-time Pro Bowler, two-time All-Pro and Super Bowl champion on this own terms.