Yaqub Salik Talib To Spend 37 Years In Prison For Youth Football Coach Murder

Yaqub Salik Talib, the brother of former NFL player Aqib Talib, has admitted to killing a youth football coach last year.

On Thursday, Yaqub entered a guilty plea in the August 2022 murder of Michael Hickmon. The disturbing incident took place during a little league football game in Lancaster, Texas, with several children and their parents present. An argument erupted over football plays. Both Yaqub and Aqib’s children played on the same team, while Hickmon’s son played for the opposing team, which he also coached. Sadly, their disagreement spilled over to gun violence, with Yaqub shooting Hickmon multiple times. Cell phone video showed Hickmon lying on the ground, being assisted by fellow coaches shortly after the shots rang out. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital shortly after. Following the chaos, Yaqub fled the scene but turned himself in two days later.

Yaqub has agreed to a 37-year prison term. He will be formally sentenced in August, and victim impact statements will be heard at that time. His brother was not involved nor injured in the shooting. However, after news of it began to circulate, Aqib left his job on Prime Video’s “Thursday Night Football.”

Prior to the shooting, Yaqub had faced legal issues. Before being charged with murder, he had previous cases stemming from drug possession, child neglect, assault, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon.

Aqib has remained tightlipped about his brother’s sentence. His Instagram account remains private as well.