Aqib Talib will no longer be part of Amazon's "Thursday Night Football" broadcast this season.
The five-time Pro Bowl cornerback has withdrawn from his previous commitment to the broadcast after his brother, Yaqub Talib, was charged with murder in the shooting death of a youth football coach in Texas.
Just spoke to Aqib Talib. In light of the recent tragedy, he is going to step aside from his broadcasting duties at Amazon to spend time with his family.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 22, 2022
The "TNF" broadcast would have been Talib's second major role in broadcasting after making his debut on Fox in 2020.
Aqib Talib was present at a youth football game that turned violent — then deadly — in North Texas on Aug. 13. Multiple eyewitnesses claim his brother, Yaqub Talib, fatally shot the opposing coach, Mike Hickmon, after a quarrel over the game's score.
Yaqub, who was a coach alongside his brother on the youth football team, turned himself into Dallas County Jail on Aug. 15 and faces charges of murder and violating probation.
Witnesses claimed Aqib Talib instigated the brawl by crossing the field and confronting a referee, even throwing the first punch in the fight. He has not been charged with a crime in relation to Hickmon's death. Per his lawyer, Frank Perez:
"He would like to convey his condolences to the family of the victim and to everyone who witnessed this unfortunate tragedy.”
