Aqib Talib, brother accused of being ‘overly aggressive’ at youth games

Jul 30, 2019; Irvine, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams cornerback Aqib Talib (21) during training camp at UC Irvine. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Aqib Talib’s older brother Yaqub is facing a murder charge after he shot and killed a man at a youth football game in Texas last week, and there have been several unflattering witness accounts of how Aqib and Yaqub handled themselves at that game and others before it.

Yaqub turned himself in after police in Lancaster, Texas, issued a warrant for his arrest. He is charged with murdering 43-year-old Mike Hickmon, who was a coach for the Dragon Elite Academy 9-and-under team that was playing against the North Dallas United Bobcats, a team organized and financed by the Talib brothers. Courtney Jackson, the president of Dragon Elite Academy, told Jean-Jacques Taylor of the Dallas Morning News this week that the Talib brothers have a reputation for being confrontational at games.

“If you’ve been around the youth football world you know the Talib guys don’t like to lose and they give everybody a hard time,” Jackson said. “I would call it rambunctious and overly aggressive.

“In the youth football world if somebody is crying about a call you might say stop whining or quit crying. They don’t laugh those things off. It gets personal with them.”

Jackson was asked why Dragon Elite Academy would schedule a game against the Talib brothers if they have a history of hostile behavior. She said they had not given DEA any real problems in the past but admitted “that’s probably the question we’re going to regret for a long period of time.”

Jackson said she was told by former DEA president Debra Lusk that Lusk believes she could have prevented the shooting. Jackson said Lusk knew of the Talibs’ reputation and would always tell them ahead of time, “Y’all not gonna be doing that (expletive) on my watch, ok?” Jackson said Aqib and Yaqub gave Lusk a “motherly respect,” which is one reason there were never any serious issues when the two teams met.

Talking trash at a youth football game does not make Aqib a criminal. His brother is the one who pulled the trigger. Still, the behavior that has been described is disturbing. Other witnesses also painted a troubling picture of the former NFL star’s involvement in the ugly confrontation that ended with Hickmon being killed.

Aqib, 36, retired in 2020 after playing 13 seasons in the NFL. He has worked as a commentator for FOX since and recently landed another broadcasting gig.