Keith Brooking
Encyclopedia
Keith Howard Brooking is a linebacker
for the Dallas Cowboys
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons
in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Georgia Tech
. Brooking was a five-time Pro Bowl
selection with the Falcons.
in Sharpsburg, Georgia
in 1994. He played both offense and defense as #35, was a member of the Key Club and was also voted Mr. ECHS. He was recruited to play college football
by the Georgia Tech
Yellow Jackets
.
and became the leading tackler in school history with 467 career stops, he had two of the top tackle seasons in Georgia Tech history with 147 and 146, respectively, as a junior and sophomore.
Brooking had 131 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions, three passes defensed, one fumble recovery and one blocked field goal to lead Tech to a Bowl game as a senior. Voted a permanent team captain by his teammates and a finalist for the Dick Butkus Award. He was the top tackler in the ACC in 1995 after averaging 13.3 stops a game and ranked second in the conference in 1996 with 13.4 tackles a game. Finished his collegiate career with 15 tackles and one interception to help the Yellow Jackets defeat West Virginia in the Carquest Bowl. He is remembered one of the greatest players to ever play at Georgia Tech
.
, Brooking quickly became the foundation of their defense. In his rookie season, he played in 15 games and posted 32 tackles, 1 interception, 2 forced fumbles, and 5 passes defensed as he served as the team nickel linebacker in passing situations throughout the season. He recorded 8 tackles in the NFC Championship game vs Minnesota Vikings
, when the Falcons reached the Super Bowl XXXIII
, but Atlanta fell to the Broncos 34-19. After that season, in 1999, he started 13 games, finished with 95 tackles (4th in the team), and he added 2 sacks and 2 passes defended. His first career start was against the Vikings, recording 8 tackles, and his first career sack was against Baltimore, sacking Stoney Case
.
During the 2000 season, Brooking was placed in the Injury Reserve after suffering a sprained foot in a game vs Philadelphia. He finished with 39 tackles, 1 sack and 1 forced fumble. In 2001, he started all the games and did not miss a play on defense in 957 total snaps as he made the transition to middle linebacker, registered 15 tackles and a sack in his first game as a Middle linebacker. He led the Falcons with 167 tackles and registered 2 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 9 passes defended and 3.5 sacks. He was named Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career at New Orleans (October 21) after recording 12 tackles, one sack and two passes defensed, also he had a key interception vs. Dallas Cowboys
to seal a 20–13 win with 0:16 remaining on Atlanta 30-yard line. This season he was named to the Pro Bowl
, becoming the first Falcon Pro Bowler since 1998, when six falcons made the trip to Hawaii. In 2002, Brooking became the fifth Falcons player to total 200 tackles in a season, following Tommy Nobis
(296 in 1966), Fulton Kuykendall
(284 in 1978), Buddy Curry
(229 in 1983) and Jessie Tuggle
(201 in 1990, 207 in 1991).
He also established a new career-high with 22 tackles vs Green Bay Packers
. The 22 tackles were the most by a Falcons player since Jessie Tuggle had 22 vs. New Orleans on September 29, 1991, was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts vs. New Orleans Saints (September 17) when he collected 15 stops and one fumble recovery. He blocked his first career blocked field goal against the Vikings to Veteran kicker Gary Anderson. He earned second straight Pro Bowl after leading the team with a career-high 212 tackles, also added 2 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries and 1 forced fumble. In 2003, was named to his third consecutive Pro Bowl after registering a team-high 207 total tackles and career-high 130 solo stops in 16 starts and posting two fumble recoveries. During the season, Brooking posted a season high 18 tackles at New Orleans, the second highest total since he recorded 22 stops at Green Bay ( 9/8/2002 ). He registered 17 tackles apiece vs. New York Giants, at Tampa Bay and vs. Jacksonville . In 2004, recorded a team-high 10 tackles along with one forced fumble at Carolina in a defensive effort that limited the Panthers to 10 points, registered 10 tackles and one interception vs. San Diego Chargers
, helped limit LaDainian Tomlinson
to 64 yards on 23 carries worth a 2.8 avg, recorded 9 tackles and his first sack since the 2001 season vs. Tampa Bay, he registered two forced fumbles, one sack and a season-high with 12 tackles against Carolina. This season, Falcons reached the NFC championship game but were defeated by Philadelphia Eagles
10-27. Although, Brooking was named with Pro Bowl honors for the fourth straight year after totaling a team-high 144 tackles. He finished with 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and three interceptions as he led the team in tackles 10 times.
In 2005 finished the season with a team-high 150 tackles in addition to establishing career-highs in interceptions (4) and passes defensed (10), also recorded one fumble recovery and tied a career-high with 3.5 sacks. He started his first game of the season at middle linebacker in place of an injured Ed Hartwell (Achilles) at New Orleans and led the linebacker corps with eight tackles in addition to posting his second interception of the season, he recorded 12 tackles and his first sack of the season vs Seattle . Brooking established a career-high with his fourth interception of the season at Tampa Bay in addition to tallying a team-high 12 tackles. He posted 8 tackles, 1 sack and 1 interception vs. Minnesota in his 100th career game, he became the first Falcons player to record a sack and interception in the same game since 2000 vs St. Louis Rams
, also tallied one sack, one pass defensed and a team-high 10 tackles vs. Carolina in the season finale. He tied a team record when he was named to his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl appearance.
In 2006, Brooking led the team with 165 tackles for the sixth year in a row, he added 2.5 sacks, one fumble recovery and one pass defensed. He led the team in tackles with 12 vs. Tampa Bay in addition to assisting a defense that did not allow a touchdown for the second consecutive game, collected a team-high 13 tackles at Detroit Lions
in addition to his first sack of the season, tallied his fourth straight double-digit tackle game with 15 at Baltimore Ravens
. Again vs Tampa Bay, he led the team in tackles with a season-high 18, also posted 9 tackles and one sack (9 yards) vs. New Orleans Saints . In 2007, finished with 127 tackles ( 82 solo ), 2 sacks for a loss of 13 yards, one fumble recovery and 4 passes defensed in 16 starts. He posted a team-high 11 tackles and one pass defensed at Jacksonville, also he led the team with 10 tackles, including 9 solo tackles at New Orleans and logged six tackles and one sack (8 yards) vs. San Francisco 49ers
. Notched a team-high 10 tackles in the Thursday night game vs. Indianapolis Colts
, in addition to recording one sack (5 yards). He had a season-high 15 tackles vs the Buccaneers for a defense that allowed a season-low 109 passing yards. Brooking became a free agent on February 27, 2009.
on February 28, 2009 after he and the Falcons did not reach an agreement. Brooking has become the heart and soul of the defense and the team's emotional leader, something the Cowboys had not had since Michael Irvin
was the team's emotional leader in the 1990s. Brooking's pregame on field speeches are credited for motivating the team to reach the playoffs and contend for an NFC East championship in his first season with the team. Brooking made headlines in January 2010 when the Cowboys were defeated by Minnesota in the divisional round of the playoffs. Brett Favre
threw four touchdown passes during the game, and Brooking argued that since the Vikings had already won by the fourth quarter, the last pass was unnecessary, unsportsmanlike, and served no purpose other than to run the score up and pad Favre's stats. Brooking also displayed his anger by violently choking Minnesota Viking's Bernard Berrian with his forearm after a tackle, only to be pulled off by a referee. The same day an article was written in The Dallas Morning News about Brooking's motivational speeches. Ironically it featured this speech from an earlier game:
There are four programs within the foundation, including the Locker 56 Shoe Program; Be a Leader, Become a Reader; the Keith Brooking Scholarship Program; and the Keith Brooking Children’s Foundation Grant Program. He was named Falcons 2002 “Man of the Year” for his extensive community involvement. He spends much of his off season each year raising awareness of his newly established foundation, visiting local schools, businesses and organizations that serve and support children. The foundation programs and services are supported by financial contributions from corporate sponsors and loyal donors, in addition, funds are raised through two yearly events as well as through grants that are awarded to the foundation by other organizations. By his actions, he was named a nominee to the The Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP.
Brooking was named to the Georgia Tech Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007. He and his wife, Holly, live in Atlanta with son, Logan, and daughter, Ella.
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...
for the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
of 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 Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft
1998 NFL Draft
The 1998 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 18-19, 1998...
. 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 Georgia Tech
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
. Brooking was a five-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 with the Falcons.
Early years
He graduated from East Coweta High SchoolEast Coweta High School
East Coweta High School is a public high school located in Coweta County, Georgia, U.S. The school serves about 2800 students in grades 9 to 12 in the Coweta County School System. It is the second oldest high school in Coweta...
in Sharpsburg, Georgia
Sharpsburg, Georgia
Sharpsburg is a town in Coweta County, Georgia, United States. The population was 316 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Sharpsburg is located at ....
in 1994. He played both offense and defense as #35, was a member of the Key Club and was also voted Mr. ECHS. He was recruited to play 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...
by the Georgia Tech
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
Yellow Jackets
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
The Yellow Jackets is the name used for all of the intercollegiate athletic teams that play for the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. The teams have also been nicknamed the Ramblin' Wreck, Engineers, Blacksmiths, and Golden Tornado. There are 8 men's and 7 women's teams that...
.
College career
He started 35 straight games to end his college career as he led the team in tackles during his final three seasons at Georgia TechGeorgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
and became the leading tackler in school history with 467 career stops, he had two of the top tackle seasons in Georgia Tech history with 147 and 146, respectively, as a junior and sophomore.
Brooking had 131 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions, three passes defensed, one fumble recovery and one blocked field goal to lead Tech to a Bowl game as a senior. Voted a permanent team captain by his teammates and a finalist for the Dick Butkus Award. He was the top tackler in the ACC in 1995 after averaging 13.3 stops a game and ranked second in the conference in 1996 with 13.4 tackles a game. Finished his collegiate career with 15 tackles and one interception to help the Yellow Jackets defeat West Virginia in the Carquest Bowl. He is remembered one of the greatest players to ever play at Georgia Tech
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
.
Atlanta Falcons
After being the 12th overall selection by the Falcons in the 1998 NFL Draft1998 NFL Draft
The 1998 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 18-19, 1998...
, Brooking quickly became the foundation of their defense. In his rookie season, he played in 15 games and posted 32 tackles, 1 interception, 2 forced fumbles, and 5 passes defensed as he served as the team nickel linebacker in passing situations throughout the season. He recorded 8 tackles in the NFC Championship game vs 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...
, when the Falcons reached the Super Bowl XXXIII
Super Bowl XXXIII
Super Bowl XXXIII was an American football game played on January 31, 1999, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion, following the 1998 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Denver Broncos defeated the National Football...
, but Atlanta fell to the Broncos 34-19. After that season, in 1999, he started 13 games, finished with 95 tackles (4th in the team), and he added 2 sacks and 2 passes defended. His first career start was against the Vikings, recording 8 tackles, and his first career sack was against Baltimore, sacking Stoney Case
Stoney Case
Stoney Jarrod Case is a quarterback in the Arena Football League, and a former National Football League quarterback with four teams.-High school and college:...
.
During the 2000 season, Brooking was placed in the Injury Reserve after suffering a sprained foot in a game vs Philadelphia. He finished with 39 tackles, 1 sack and 1 forced fumble. In 2001, he started all the games and did not miss a play on defense in 957 total snaps as he made the transition to middle linebacker, registered 15 tackles and a sack in his first game as a Middle linebacker. He led the Falcons with 167 tackles and registered 2 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 9 passes defended and 3.5 sacks. He was named Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career at New Orleans (October 21) after recording 12 tackles, one sack and two passes defensed, also he had a key interception vs. Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
to seal a 20–13 win with 0:16 remaining on Atlanta 30-yard line. This season he was named 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...
, becoming the first Falcon Pro Bowler since 1998, when six falcons made the trip to Hawaii. In 2002, Brooking became the fifth Falcons player to total 200 tackles in a season, following Tommy Nobis
Tommy Nobis
Thomas Henry Nobis, Jr. is a former American football player. He attended Thomas Jefferson High School where he was an all-state offensive end and middle linebacker...
(296 in 1966), Fulton Kuykendall
Fulton Kuykendall
Fulton Kuykendall was a former NFL football player. He is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles who played pro football from 1975–1985 for the Atlanta Falcons. The lanky 6-5 225 lb Kuykendall started primarily at inside linebacker for the Falcons from 1976–1983, making the...
(284 in 1978), Buddy Curry
Buddy Curry
George Jessel "Buddy" Curry is a former NFL football player. He is a graduate from the University of North Carolina who played pro football from 1980–1987 for the Atlanta Falcons....
(229 in 1983) and Jessie Tuggle
Jessie Tuggle
Jessie Floyd Tuggle is a former professional American football linebacker who played for the Atlanta Falcons his entire career from 1987 to 2000. He graduated from Valdosta State College in Valdosta, Georgia...
(201 in 1990, 207 in 1991).
He also established a new career-high with 22 tackles vs Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
. The 22 tackles were the most by a Falcons player since Jessie Tuggle had 22 vs. New Orleans on September 29, 1991, was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts vs. New Orleans Saints (September 17) when he collected 15 stops and one fumble recovery. He blocked his first career blocked field goal against the Vikings to Veteran kicker Gary Anderson. He earned second straight Pro Bowl after leading the team with a career-high 212 tackles, also added 2 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries and 1 forced fumble. In 2003, was named to his third consecutive Pro Bowl after registering a team-high 207 total tackles and career-high 130 solo stops in 16 starts and posting two fumble recoveries. During the season, Brooking posted a season high 18 tackles at New Orleans, the second highest total since he recorded 22 stops at Green Bay ( 9/8/2002 ). He registered 17 tackles apiece vs. New York Giants, at Tampa Bay and vs. Jacksonville . In 2004, recorded a team-high 10 tackles along with one forced fumble at Carolina in a defensive effort that limited the Panthers to 10 points, registered 10 tackles and one interception vs. San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, helped limit LaDainian Tomlinson
LaDainian Tomlinson
LaDainian Tramayne Tomlinson is an American football running back for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers fifth overall in the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas Christian.Tomlinson, often referred to by his initials, L...
to 64 yards on 23 carries worth a 2.8 avg, recorded 9 tackles and his first sack since the 2001 season vs. Tampa Bay, he registered two forced fumbles, one sack and a season-high with 12 tackles against Carolina. This season, Falcons reached the NFC championship game but were defeated by Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
10-27. Although, Brooking was named with Pro Bowl honors for the fourth straight year after totaling a team-high 144 tackles. He finished with 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and three interceptions as he led the team in tackles 10 times.
In 2005 finished the season with a team-high 150 tackles in addition to establishing career-highs in interceptions (4) and passes defensed (10), also recorded one fumble recovery and tied a career-high with 3.5 sacks. He started his first game of the season at middle linebacker in place of an injured Ed Hartwell (Achilles) at New Orleans and led the linebacker corps with eight tackles in addition to posting his second interception of the season, he recorded 12 tackles and his first sack of the season vs Seattle . Brooking established a career-high with his fourth interception of the season at Tampa Bay in addition to tallying a team-high 12 tackles. He posted 8 tackles, 1 sack and 1 interception vs. Minnesota in his 100th career game, he became the first Falcons player to record a sack and interception in the same game since 2000 vs St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
, also tallied one sack, one pass defensed and a team-high 10 tackles vs. Carolina in the season finale. He tied a team record when he was named to his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl appearance.
In 2006, Brooking led the team with 165 tackles for the sixth year in a row, he added 2.5 sacks, one fumble recovery and one pass defensed. He led the team in tackles with 12 vs. Tampa Bay in addition to assisting a defense that did not allow a touchdown for the second consecutive game, collected a team-high 13 tackles at Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
in addition to his first sack of the season, tallied his fourth straight double-digit tackle game with 15 at Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
. Again vs Tampa Bay, he led the team in tackles with a season-high 18, also posted 9 tackles and one sack (9 yards) vs. New Orleans Saints . In 2007, finished with 127 tackles ( 82 solo ), 2 sacks for a loss of 13 yards, one fumble recovery and 4 passes defensed in 16 starts. He posted a team-high 11 tackles and one pass defensed at Jacksonville, also he led the team with 10 tackles, including 9 solo tackles at New Orleans and logged six tackles and one sack (8 yards) vs. San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
. Notched a team-high 10 tackles in the Thursday night game vs. Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, in addition to recording one sack (5 yards). He had a season-high 15 tackles vs the Buccaneers for a defense that allowed a season-low 109 passing yards. Brooking became a free agent on February 27, 2009.
Dallas Cowboys
Brooking signed a three-year $6 million contract ($2.5 million guaranteed) with the Dallas CowboysDallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
on February 28, 2009 after he and the Falcons did not reach an agreement. Brooking has become the heart and soul of the defense and the team's emotional leader, something the Cowboys had not had since Michael Irvin
Michael Irvin
Michael Jerome Irvin is a former American football player for the Dallas Cowboys, and actor. He is also a former broadcaster for ESPN's NFL Countdown and currently an analyst for NFL Network. Irvin was self-nicknamed "The Playmaker" due to his penchant for making big plays in big games during his...
was the team's emotional leader in the 1990s. Brooking's pregame on field speeches are credited for motivating the team to reach the playoffs and contend for an NFC East championship in his first season with the team. Brooking made headlines in January 2010 when the Cowboys were defeated by Minnesota in the divisional round of the playoffs. Brett Favre
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
threw four touchdown passes during the game, and Brooking argued that since the Vikings had already won by the fourth quarter, the last pass was unnecessary, unsportsmanlike, and served no purpose other than to run the score up and pad Favre's stats. Brooking also displayed his anger by violently choking Minnesota Viking's Bernard Berrian with his forearm after a tackle, only to be pulled off by a referee. The same day an article was written in The Dallas Morning News about Brooking's motivational speeches. Ironically it featured this speech from an earlier game:
Before the Washington game, as players gather around, Brooking screams, "We're gonna keep hitting 'em, we're gonna keep hitting 'em!" Players shout, "Yeah!" after both lines.
Brooking, wide-eyed and picking up speed, says, "They might get back up. Then we're gonna hit 'em again! And when they're barely hanging on ..."
At this point Choice cuts in, "What're we gonna do?"
Brooking concludes: "We're gonna hit 'em in the mouth! We're gonna bloody their nose! We're gonna knock 'em to the ground!"
The Keith Brooking Children's Foundation
In 2003, Brooking founded The Keith Brooking Children's Foundation. He was inspired by his mother, who was a foster parent while he was growing up, to create the foundation to serve the needs of foster children in metro Atlanta.There are four programs within the foundation, including the Locker 56 Shoe Program; Be a Leader, Become a Reader; the Keith Brooking Scholarship Program; and the Keith Brooking Children’s Foundation Grant Program. He was named Falcons 2002 “Man of the Year” for his extensive community involvement. He spends much of his off season each year raising awareness of his newly established foundation, visiting local schools, businesses and organizations that serve and support children. The foundation programs and services are supported by financial contributions from corporate sponsors and loyal donors, in addition, funds are raised through two yearly events as well as through grants that are awarded to the foundation by other organizations. By his actions, he was named a nominee to the The Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP.
Brooking was named to the Georgia Tech Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007. He and his wife, Holly, live in Atlanta with son, Logan, and daughter, Ella.