“I’m sorry this murder negativity affected my family" - NFL fans bash Aqib Talib's decision to step away from Amazon on-air duties for 2022 season

Aqib Talib has been in the news for all the wrong reasons over the past couple of weeks. The former NFL cornerback's brother, Yaqub Talib, was arrested in Lancaster, Texas, last week and charged with murder. This followed the fatal shooting of youth football coach Michael Hickman.

When Yaqub turned himself in last week, fresh reports indicated that Aqib Talib was also involved in the incident. Three eyewitnesses claim that he instigated the brawl that led to the shooting.

Following the incident, Talib has since decided to step away from Amazon TV’s Thursday Night Football team. The five-time Pro Bowler was recently hired as an analyst for the show. Talib's decision, however, hasn't gone down well with fans on social media.

Redditors blasted the former Denver Broncos cornerback in the wake of his announcement. here are some of the top comments:

Some Redditors also drew parallels with Deshaun Watson's statement following the announcement of his 11-game suspension.

Ian Rapoport also ended up catching some strays, with fans claiming that he was trying to paint Talib in a positive light.

Was Aqib Talib involved in the fatal shooting?

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Journalist Jason Whitlock interviewed three eyewitnesses last week, with some claiming that the former cornerback was the first to throw a punch. They feel he instigated the incident.

One eyewitness told Whitlock:

"Aqib [Talib] started this. He was the first person to throw a punch. Out of all the people, he was the one person who could have de-escalated the situation. He was the person we all would've listened to. He could've stopped it."

The victim, Hickmon, 43, was a coach at Dragons Elite Academy. Talib and his brother were reportedly coaches for the North Dallas United Bobcats.

It remains to be seen if Aqib Talib will be charged over the incident. His lawyer, however, has disputed the notion that his client incited the shooting. Lancaster Police, however, are still investigating the incident.

The stint with Amazon's Thursday Night Football would've been Talib's second in broadcasting. The former Super Bowl champion made his broadcasting debut with Fox back in 2020.

Talib spent 12 seasons in the NFL between 2008-2019. He had stints with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Rams and Miami Dolphins. Aqib Talib is a five-time Pro Bowler who won the Super Bowl with the Broncos in 2015.

If you use any of the above quotes, please credit The Blaze and H/T Sportskeeda.