Aqib Talib’s Brother Yaqub Sentenced to 37 Years for Murder of Youth Football Coach

Yaqub Talib, who is the brother of former NFL player Aqib Talib and pleaded guilty to murder, was sentenced to 37 years in prison Monday, per Callie Lawson-Freeman of Yahoo Sports.

Lawson-Freeman noted Talib was indicted in September and agreed to a plea deal last month that had him plead guilty to the murder of Michael Hickmon, who was a youth football coach.

Talib shot Hickmon in front of the victim’s nine-year-old son and other children. Court documents said Hickmon was shot multiple times and died at the hospital in the aftermath.

According to TMZ Sports, the Talib brothers were helping coach a youth football game in August 2022 when they became upset at the victim, who was helping coach the other team. The Talib brothers confronted him regarding a dispute about a call on the field, and Yaqub Talib shot him.

Both brothers were present in the courtroom Monday but did not speak to reporters:

Talib turned himself into law enforcement in the days following the shooting.

Lawson-Freeman reported that Hickmon’s family filed a pending personal injury lawsuit against the Talib brothers and Big XII Sports League and Family Services for more than $1 million. The family says that Big XII Sports League and Family Services did not create a safe environment by properly vetting the coaches.

The family also says that Aqib Talib helped start the fight that led to the shooting.

Aqib Talib played in the NFL from 2008 through 2019 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots, Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams. Lawson-Freeman noted he was part of Amazon’s Thursday Night Football coverage but stepped aside to “spend more time with his family” following the arrest.