Yaqub Salik Talib, the older brother of former NFL cornerback Aqib Talib, reportedly pleaded guilty Thursday in the shooting death of a youth football coach, prosecutors said.
Talib, 40, turned himself into police on Aug. 15, 2022, after he was wanted in connection to the death of Michael Hickmon, 43, two days earlier. Talib was indicted soon after on murder charges. Talib allegedly shot Hickmon during a disagreement between the two at a youth football game in Lancaster, Texas. Video of the incident later surfaced.
He faces 37 years in prison, according to the Dallas County district attorney’s office. Victim-impact statements and formal sentencing are scheduled for Aug. 7.
Talib’s attorney did not respond for comment by the Dallas Morning News or the Associated Press.
The Talib brothers served as coaches in the league of which their sons were also players. Both Talibs are being sued for $1 million by Hickmon’s family for their roles in his death. That trial is reportedly set to begin on Jan. 9, 2024.
The lawsuit alleges Aqib Talib, 37, started the fight which ended in Hickmon’s death after he and his brother prematurely stopped the game after a taunting penalty was called on the Bobcats — the team financed by Talib. He allegedly began to physically fight Hickmon on the sideline before his brother, Yaqub, shot Hickmon five times. Hickmon was taken to Methodist Central Hospital in Dallas, where he died as a result of his injuries.
The lawsuit also named Big XII Sports League and Family Services as defendants for not properly vetting coaches or providing a safe and secure environment for its participants.
Aqib Talib played 12 years in the NFL for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots, Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams. He made five Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams and won a Super Bowl with the Broncos. Talib joined Fox as a game analyst in 2020 and was later hired by Amazon in June for its “Thursday Night Football” coverage for the streaming platform’s upcoming debut season. Talib stepped down from that role after the shooting took place before the season started.
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