Derrick Brooks
Encyclopedia
Derrick Dewan Brooks is a former American football
linebacker
in the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Buccaneers 28th overall in the 1995 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Florida State
.
An eleven-time Pro Bowl
selection and nine-time All-Pro
, Brooks was named AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year
in 2002. He earned a Super Bowl ring
with the Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII
.
in Pensacola
. In 1991, his senior year, Brooks carried Pensacola to the state playoff semifinals, where they lost to the eventual champion Bradenton Manatee. In 2007, he was named to the Florida High School Association All-Century Team, which selected the Top 33 players in the 100 year history of high school football in the state of Florida's history.
he was a four-year letterman, a first-team All-American his junior and senior years and a three time first team All-ACC
selection. After playing as safety as a freshman he switched to linebacker as a sophomore. He was on the 1993 Seminoles National Championship team
. He finished his career with 274 tackles
, five interceptions, 8.5 sacks
, 13 passes defensed, four forced fumble
s and three fumble recoveries.
In November 2010, the Florida State Seminoles retired the jersey number 10 in honor of Brooks.
in the first round, 28th overall, of the 1995 NFL Draft
. Brooks played 14 years for the Buccaneers and is widely considered one of the best (if not the best) players in franchise history and one of the best linebackers in NFL history. From 1995 to 2008, Brooks started 221 of 224 games, recording 1,698 tackles, 13.5 sacks, 25 interceptions, and six touchdowns. He was selected to the Pro Bowl
11 times, including 10 straight from 1997
to 2006
, was an All-Pro
nine times, was the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year
in 2002, and led the team to the franchise's first Super Bowl
win in Super Bowl XXXVII
.
As a rookie in 1995, Brooks started 13 of 16 games. He finished the season with 78 tackles with a sack and earned first team all-rookie honors from Pro Football Weekly
and Pro Football Writers Association
. During his second season 1996, he started all 16 games and finished with a team leading 132 tackles and his first career interception. In 1997, Brooks earned his first trip to the Pro Bowl after recording 144 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and two interceptions in 16 games. In 1998, Brooks had another Pro Bowl season after recording 156 tackles and an interception.
In 1999, Brooks made the Pro Bowl for the third time and was a first team All-Pro selection for the first time in his career. For the season he had 153 tackles, two sacks, and four interceptions. In 2000, Brooks earned his fourth consecutive trip to the Pro Bowl and his second consecutive first team All-Pro selection. He finished the season with 140 tackles, a sack, and had his first career touchdown
on a 34 yard interception from Minnesota Vikings
quarterback
Daunte Culpepper
. Brooks was also, along with Jim Flanigan
of the Chicago Bears
, the winner of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award
, given to a National Football League player for his community service activities as well as his excellence on the field. Brooks made his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl in 2001 after recording 112 tackles and three interceptions.
Brooks' best season came in 2002. During that year he was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year
by the Associated Press
and helped the Buccaneers win the franchise's first Super Bowl
. He also made his sixth consecutive Pro Bowl and was a first team All-Pro selection for the third time. For the season he had 117 tackles, a sack, and returned a NFL record, for a linebacker, five touchdowns (two off fumbles and three off interceptions). During the Buccaneers 48-21 victory over the Oakland Raiders
in Super Bowl XXXVII
, he returned an interception off of Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon
44 yards for a touchdown. He thus became one of only six players in NFL history to make the Pro Bowl, be named Defensive Player of the Year and win a Super Bowl or NFL title. The others are Joe Greene
, Jack Lambert
, Lawrence Taylor
, Reggie White
and his teammate for nine years, Warren Sapp
.
In 2003, Brooks broke Lee Roy Selmon
's team record for most consecutive Pro Bowl appearances with seven. He finished the season with 101 tackles, a sack, two interceptions, and returned an interception for a touchdown. In 2004, Brooks made his eighth consecutive Pro Bowl and fifth first team All-Pro selection after recording 137 tackles, three sacks, and an interception. In 2005, Brooks made his ninth consecutive Pro Bowl and earned his sixth first team All-Pro selection. He finished the season with 125 tackles, three sacks, and an interception.
In Brooks' 10th consecutive Pro Bowl in 2006, he was named the MVP after returning a Trent Green
interception 59 yards for a touchdown to secure the victory for the NFC. During the regular season he had 121 tackles, three interceptions and a touchdown. In 2007, Brooks had 109 tackles and was not voted to the Pro Bowl for the first time since 1996. In Brooks last year with the Buccaneers in 2008, he recorded 73 tackles and an interception and was selected to his 11th Pro Bowl. The 11 Pro Bowls are tied for second most by a linebacker in NFL history.
On February 25, 2009, the Buccaneers released Brooks.
After spending all of the 2009 season as a free agent
, Brooks officially announced his retirement on On August 11, 2010.
Derrick Brooks is the founder of the Brooks Bunch charity and youth scholarship foundation in the Tampa Bay area. He has taken local youngsters across the nation and South Africa with the objective of presenting a first hand experience, or a "mobile classroom." Brooks also headed the founding of the Brooks-DeBartolo Collegiate High School
in Tampa.
Brooks is well known for his charity work and his advocacy of the importance of education. He was the co-recipient of the 2000 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award
and was named to the Florida State University
Board of Trustees in 2003 by Governor Jeb Bush
.
Brooks is now a football analyst for ESPN and co-host of The Red Zone on Sirius NFL Radio
along with analyst duties on ESPN FirstTake usually alongside Lomas Brown
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the Buccaneers 28th overall in the 1995 NFL Draft
1995 NFL Draft
The 1995 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 22–23, 1995 at the Paramount Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Florida State
Florida State Seminoles football
The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
.
An eleven-time Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selection and nine-time All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
, Brooks was named AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year
NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award
The NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award is given by the Associated Press to the league's most outstanding defensive player at the end of every NFL season since 1971. Multiple-award winners include Lawrence Taylor, who won it three times, and Joe Greene, Mike Singletary, Bruce Smith, Reggie...
in 2002. He earned a Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
with the Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII was an American football game played on January 26, 2003 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 2002 regular season...
.
Early years
Brooks attended Washington High SchoolBooker T. Washington High School (Pensacola)
Booker T. Washington High School is a secondary school currently located at 6000 College Parkway in Pensacola, Florida, and is part of the Escambia County School District. It was named after the African-American education pioneer Booker T. Washington. The previous location for the school is now in...
in Pensacola
Pensacola
Pensacola is a city in the western part of the U.S. state of Florida.Pensacola may also refer to:* Pensacola people, a group of Native Americans* A number of places in the Florida:** Pensacola Bay** Pensacola Regional Airport...
. In 1991, his senior year, Brooks carried Pensacola to the state playoff semifinals, where they lost to the eventual champion Bradenton Manatee. In 2007, he was named to the Florida High School Association All-Century Team, which selected the Top 33 players in the 100 year history of high school football in the state of Florida's history.
College career
At Florida State UniversityFlorida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
he was a four-year letterman, a first-team All-American his junior and senior years and a three time first team All-ACC
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
selection. After playing as safety as a freshman he switched to linebacker as a sophomore. He was on the 1993 Seminoles National Championship team
1993 Florida State Seminoles football team
The 1993 Florida State Seminoles football team was the national champion of the 1993 college football season. The team finished with a 12-1 record.-Regular season:...
. He finished his career with 274 tackles
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
, five interceptions, 8.5 sacks
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
, 13 passes defensed, four forced fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
s and three fumble recoveries.
In November 2010, the Florida State Seminoles retired the jersey number 10 in honor of Brooks.
Awards and honors
- 3× First-team All-ACCAtlantic Coast ConferenceThe Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
(1992–1994) - 2× All-AmericaAll-AmericaAn All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n (19931993 College Football All-America TeamThe 1993 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, United Press International, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, Scripps-Howard, The Sporting News and Football News.The...
, 19941994 College Football All-America TeamThe 1994 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, United Press International, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, Scripps-Howard, The Sporting News and Football News.The...
) - ACC Defensive Player of the Year (1993)
- 2× Vince Lombardi Award finalist (1993–1994)
Professional career
Brooks was drafted by the Tampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
in the first round, 28th overall, of the 1995 NFL Draft
1995 NFL Draft
The 1995 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 22–23, 1995 at the Paramount Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City...
. Brooks played 14 years for the Buccaneers and is widely considered one of the best (if not the best) players in franchise history and one of the best linebackers in NFL history. From 1995 to 2008, Brooks started 221 of 224 games, recording 1,698 tackles, 13.5 sacks, 25 interceptions, and six touchdowns. He was selected to the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
11 times, including 10 straight from 1997
1998 Pro Bowl
The 1998 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 1, 1998 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 29, NFC 24. Warren Moon of the Seattle Seahawks, invited to participate because of an injury to John Elway, was the game's MVP. The referee was Gary Lane...
to 2006
2007 Pro Bowl
The 2007 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl took place on February 10, 2007, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The game was held on a Saturday instead of the usual Sunday after the Super Bowl because of a request by broadcaster CBS....
, was an All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
nine times, was the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year
NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award
The NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award is given by the Associated Press to the league's most outstanding defensive player at the end of every NFL season since 1971. Multiple-award winners include Lawrence Taylor, who won it three times, and Joe Greene, Mike Singletary, Bruce Smith, Reggie...
in 2002, and led the team to the franchise's first Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
win in Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII was an American football game played on January 26, 2003 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 2002 regular season...
.
As a rookie in 1995, Brooks started 13 of 16 games. He finished the season with 78 tackles with a sack and earned first team all-rookie honors from Pro Football Weekly
Pro Football Weekly
Pro Football Weekly is an American sports magazine, founded in 1967, that covers the National Football League...
and Pro Football Writers Association
Pro Football Writers Association
Technically known as the Pro Football Writers of America, this organization purports to be "The official voice of pro football writers, promoting and fighting for access to NFL personnel to best serve the public." Goals of the organization include improving access to practices and locker rooms,...
. During his second season 1996, he started all 16 games and finished with a team leading 132 tackles and his first career interception. In 1997, Brooks earned his first trip to the Pro Bowl after recording 144 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and two interceptions in 16 games. In 1998, Brooks had another Pro Bowl season after recording 156 tackles and an interception.
In 1999, Brooks made the Pro Bowl for the third time and was a first team All-Pro selection for the first time in his career. For the season he had 153 tackles, two sacks, and four interceptions. In 2000, Brooks earned his fourth consecutive trip to the Pro Bowl and his second consecutive first team All-Pro selection. He finished the season with 140 tackles, a sack, and had his first career touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
on a 34 yard interception from Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Daunte Culpepper
Daunte Culpepper
Daunte Rachard Culpepper is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He last played for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League . Prior to joining the UFL, Culpepper enjoyed a successful National Football League career after being drafted 11th overall in...
. Brooks was also, along with Jim Flanigan
Jim Flanigan
James Michael Flanigan, Jr. is a former American football defensive tackle that played in the National Football League from 1994–2003. Most of his success came when he was with the Chicago Bears from 1994–2000. He played college football at the University of Notre Dame...
of the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, the winner of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award
Walter Payton Man of the Year Award
The Walter Payton Man of the Year award is given annually by the National Football League honoring a player's volunteer and charity work, as well as his excellence on the field. Prior to 1999, it was called simply the NFL Man of the Year Award...
, given to a National Football League player for his community service activities as well as his excellence on the field. Brooks made his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl in 2001 after recording 112 tackles and three interceptions.
Brooks' best season came in 2002. During that year he was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year
NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award
The NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award is given by the Associated Press to the league's most outstanding defensive player at the end of every NFL season since 1971. Multiple-award winners include Lawrence Taylor, who won it three times, and Joe Greene, Mike Singletary, Bruce Smith, Reggie...
by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
and helped the Buccaneers win the franchise's first Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
. He also made his sixth consecutive Pro Bowl and was a first team All-Pro selection for the third time. For the season he had 117 tackles, a sack, and returned a NFL record, for a linebacker, five touchdowns (two off fumbles and three off interceptions). During the Buccaneers 48-21 victory over the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII was an American football game played on January 26, 2003 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 2002 regular season...
, he returned an interception off of Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon
Rich Gannon
Richard Joseph Gannon is a former football quarterback, who achieved most of his success late in his career with the Oakland Raiders in the National Football League...
44 yards for a touchdown. He thus became one of only six players in NFL history to make the Pro Bowl, be named Defensive Player of the Year and win a Super Bowl or NFL title. The others are Joe Greene
Joe Greene
Joseph Greene or Joe Greene may refer to:*Joseph Greene , accountant and political figure in Newfoundland*Joe Greene , Liberal legislator in Canadian House of Commons, 1963–1972...
, Jack Lambert
Jack Lambert
Jack Lambert may refer to:*Jack Lambert , American actor*Jack Lambert , , British actor*Jack Lambert , American football player...
, Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Julius Taylor , nicknamed "L.T.", is a Hall of Fame former American football player. Taylor played his entire professional career as a linebacker for the New York Giants in the National Football League...
, Reggie White
Reggie White
Reginald Howard "Reggie" White was a professional American football player. He played 15 seasons as a defensive end in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers, becoming one of the most decorated players in NFL history...
and his teammate for nine years, Warren Sapp
Warren Sapp
Warren Carlos Sapp is a retired American football player who played defensive tackle in the National Football League. He played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Oakland Raiders during his 13 year professional career, and college football for the University of Miami Hurricanes. He was then...
.
In 2003, Brooks broke Lee Roy Selmon
Lee Roy Selmon
Lee Roy Selmon was a Hall of Fame NFL football defensive lineman.-Early life:Selmon was the youngest of nine children of Lucious and Jessie Selmon, raised on a farm near Eufaula, Oklahoma...
's team record for most consecutive Pro Bowl appearances with seven. He finished the season with 101 tackles, a sack, two interceptions, and returned an interception for a touchdown. In 2004, Brooks made his eighth consecutive Pro Bowl and fifth first team All-Pro selection after recording 137 tackles, three sacks, and an interception. In 2005, Brooks made his ninth consecutive Pro Bowl and earned his sixth first team All-Pro selection. He finished the season with 125 tackles, three sacks, and an interception.
In Brooks' 10th consecutive Pro Bowl in 2006, he was named the MVP after returning a Trent Green
Trent Green
Trent Jason Green is a retired professional American football quarterback. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the eighth round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Indiana University....
interception 59 yards for a touchdown to secure the victory for the NFC. During the regular season he had 121 tackles, three interceptions and a touchdown. In 2007, Brooks had 109 tackles and was not voted to the Pro Bowl for the first time since 1996. In Brooks last year with the Buccaneers in 2008, he recorded 73 tackles and an interception and was selected to his 11th Pro Bowl. The 11 Pro Bowls are tied for second most by a linebacker in NFL history.
On February 25, 2009, the Buccaneers released Brooks.
After spending all of the 2009 season as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
, Brooks officially announced his retirement on On August 11, 2010.
NFL awards and honors
- 6× First-team All-Pro (19991999 All-Pro TeamThe 1999 All-Pro Team is composed of the National Football League players that were named to the Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, and The Sporting News All-Pro Teams in 1999. Both first and second teams are listed for the AP team. These are the three teams that are included in...
, 20002000 All-Pro TeamThe 2000 All-Pro Team is composed of the National Football League players that were named to the Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, and The Sporting News All-Pro Teams in 2000. Both first and second teams are listed for the AP team. These are the three teams that are included in...
, 20022002 All-Pro TeamThe 2002 All-Pro Team comprises the National Football League players that were named to the Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, and The Sporting News All-Pro Teams in 2002. Both first and second teams are listed for the AP team. These are the three teams that are included in Total...
, 20032003 All-Pro TeamThe 2003 All-Pro Team is composed of the National Football League players that were named to the Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, and The Sporting News All-Pro Teams in 2003. Both first and second teams are listed for the AP team. These are the three teams that are included in...
, 20042004 All-Pro TeamThe 2004 All-Pro Team is composed of the National Football League players that were named to the Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, and The Sporting News All-Pro Teams in 2004. Both first and second teams are listed for the AP team. These are the three teams that are included in...
, 20052005 All-Pro TeamThe 2005 All-Pro Team is composed of the National Football League players that were named to the Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, and The Sporting News All-Pro Teams in 2005. Both first and second teams are listed for the AP team. These are the three teams that are included in...
) - 3× Second-team All-ProAll-ProAll-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
(19971997 All-Pro TeamThe 1997 All-Pro Team is composed of the National Football League players that were named to the Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, and The Sporting News All-Pro Teams in 1997. Both first and second teams are listed for the AP team. These are the three teams that are included in...
, 19981998 All-Pro TeamThe 1998 All-Pro Team is composed of the National Football League players that were named to the Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, and The Sporting News All-Pro Teams in 1998. Both first and second teams are listed for the AP team. These are the three teams that are included in...
, 20012001 All-Pro TeamThe 2001 All-Pro Team comprises the National Football League players that were named to the Associated Press, Pro Football Writers Association, and The Sporting News All-Pro Teams in 2001. Both first and second teams are listed for the AP team. These are the three teams that are included in Total...
) - 9× First-team All-NFCNational Football ConferenceThe National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
(1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005) - 11× Pro BowlPro BowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selection (19971998 Pro BowlThe 1998 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 1, 1998 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 29, NFC 24. Warren Moon of the Seattle Seahawks, invited to participate because of an injury to John Elway, was the game's MVP. The referee was Gary Lane...
, 19981999 Pro BowlThe 1999 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 7, 1999 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 23, NFC 10. Keyshawn Johnson of the New York Jets and Ty Law of the New England Patriots were the game's MVPs. This game was also the last game in the career of Denver Broncos...
, 19992000 Pro BowlThe 2000 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 6, 2000 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii Attendance— 50,112. The game was broadcast by ABC with a running time of three hours and sixteen minutes. The final score was NFC 51, AFC 31. The AFC coach was Tom Coughlin of Jacksonville.The NFC coach...
, 20002001 Pro BowlThe 2001 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 4, 2001 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 38, NFC 17. Rich Gannon of the Oakland Raiders was the game's MVP.-Offense:-Defense:-Special teams:-Offense:-Defense:...
, 20012002 Pro BowlThe 2002 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 9, 2002 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 38, NFC 30. Rich Gannon of the Oakland Raiders was the game's MVP.-Offense:-Defense:-Special teams:-Offense:-Defense:...
, 20022003 Pro BowlThe 2003 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 2, 2003 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final Score was AFC 45, NFC 20. Ricky Williams of the Miami Dolphins was the game's MVP.-Offense:-Defense:-Special teams:-Offense:-Defense:...
, 20032004 Pro BowlThe 2004 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 8, 2004 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was NFC 55, AFC 52, the most points scored in a Pro Bowl game. Marc Bulger of the St. Louis Rams was the game's MVP.-Game summary:...
, 20042005 Pro BowlThe 2005 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played February 13, 2005 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 38 - NFC 27. The most valuable player was Peyton Manning of the Colts. The game holds the record as the latest Pro Bowl played during the calendar year.-Game summary:The game...
, 20052006 Pro BowlThe 2006 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 12, 2006 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. It marked the 27th consecutive time that the National Football League's all-star game was held in Honolulu...
, 20062007 Pro BowlThe 2007 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl took place on February 10, 2007, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The game was held on a Saturday instead of the usual Sunday after the Super Bowl because of a request by broadcaster CBS....
, 20082009 Pro BowlThe 2009 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was the NFL's all-star game for the 2008 season. It was played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii on February 8, 2009. This was the last time that a Pro Bowl game was held after the NFL Super Bowl game...
) - Co-Walter Payton Man of the Year AwardWalter Payton Man of the Year AwardThe Walter Payton Man of the Year award is given annually by the National Football League honoring a player's volunteer and charity work, as well as his excellence on the field. Prior to 1999, it was called simply the NFL Man of the Year Award...
(2000) - "Whizzer" White NFL Man of the Year Award"Whizzer" White NFL Man of the Year AwardThe Byron "Whizzer" White NFL Man of the Year Award has been awarded by the National Football League Players Association continuously since 1966. The most recent winner, for the 2010 season, is Tony Richardson of the New York Jets...
(2003) - Bart Starr Man of the Year AwardAthletes in Action/Bart Starr AwardThe Athletes in Action/Bart Starr Award is given annually to an NFL player who best exemplifies outstanding character and leadership in the home, on the field and in the community. Nominees are gathered from the Public Relations Directors of each NFL team, the past winners of the Bart Starr Award,...
(2003) - AP NFL Defensive Player of the YearNFL Defensive Player of the Year AwardThe NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award is given by the Associated Press to the league's most outstanding defensive player at the end of every NFL season since 1971. Multiple-award winners include Lawrence Taylor, who won it three times, and Joe Greene, Mike Singletary, Bruce Smith, Reggie...
(2002) - Super BowlSuper BowlThe Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
champion (XXXVIISuper Bowl XXXVIISuper Bowl XXXVII was an American football game played on January 26, 2003 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 2002 regular season...
) - Pro Bowl MVP (20052006 Pro BowlThe 2006 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 12, 2006 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. It marked the 27th consecutive time that the National Football League's all-star game was held in Honolulu...
)
Personal
Brooks is married and has four children.Derrick Brooks is the founder of the Brooks Bunch charity and youth scholarship foundation in the Tampa Bay area. He has taken local youngsters across the nation and South Africa with the objective of presenting a first hand experience, or a "mobile classroom." Brooks also headed the founding of the Brooks-DeBartolo Collegiate High School
Brooks-DeBartolo Collegiate High School
Brooks-DeBartolo Collegiate High School is a charter school in Tampa, Florida, founded with support from NFL player Derrick Brooks. It is part of the Hillsborough County Public Schools system....
in Tampa.
Brooks is well known for his charity work and his advocacy of the importance of education. He was the co-recipient of the 2000 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award
Walter Payton Man of the Year Award
The Walter Payton Man of the Year award is given annually by the National Football League honoring a player's volunteer and charity work, as well as his excellence on the field. Prior to 1999, it was called simply the NFL Man of the Year Award...
and was named to the Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
Board of Trustees in 2003 by Governor Jeb Bush
Jeb Bush
John Ellis "Jeb" Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd Governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007. He is a prominent member of the Bush family: the second son of former President George H. W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush; the younger brother of former President George W...
.
Brooks is now a football analyst for ESPN and co-host of The Red Zone on Sirius NFL Radio
Sirius NFL Radio
Sirius XM NFL Radio is a Sirius XM Radio channel on 88 completely dedicated to the National Football League. Its personalities include Marty Schottenheimer, Shannon Sharpe, Pat Kirwan, Adam Schein, Peter King, Randy Cross and Bob Papa....
along with analyst duties on ESPN FirstTake usually alongside Lomas Brown
Lomas Brown
Lomas Brown, Jr. is a former American college and professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League for eighteen seasons in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. Brown played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played...
.