Tommy Brooker
Encyclopedia
William Thomas “Tommy” Brooker (born October 31, 1939 in Demopolis, Alabama
) is a former American collegiate and Professional Football
player.
A placekicker
-end, Brooker played for the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs
of the American Football League
from 1962-1966.
Brooker played college football
at the University of Alabama
under legendary coach Bear Bryant
. He was drafted by the Texans in the 17th round (131st overall) in the 1962 AFL Draft
and by the Washington Redskins
in the 16th round (211th overall) in the same year’s NFL Draft
.
Doubling as an offensive end, Brooker had his best statistical season in his rookie year, 1962
. He caught four passes, three for touchdown
s, the only ones he would score during his career. He also made all 33 of his extra point
attempts and kicked 12 of 22 field goals
for a total of 87 points.
Brooker was a member of the Texans team that won the 1962 AFL Championship game
, the Texans defeating the Houston Oilers (who had won the first two AFL title games, in 1960 and 1961) at Jeppesen Stadium
. It would be the franchise’s final game before their move from Dallas
to Kansas City
. Teammate Bill Hull
intercepted the Oilers' George Blanda
late in the first overtime of Professional Football's longest championship game. Hull's interception allowed the Texans to start the second overtime with two runs by Jack Spikes
to move the ball to the Oilers' 25-yard line, and Brooker kicked a field goal to give the Texans the win, 20 - 17. The field goal saved Texans star running back Abner Haynes
from what could have been a costly error: at the start of the overtime, Haynes won the coin toss and stated that his team would “kick to the clock,” which not only gave the Oilers first possession, but put the wind at their backs (the Oilers having gotten the choice of which end zone to defend). The Texans saved Haynes from embarrassment by preventing Houston from scoring in the first overtime; after the teams switched sides for the second, Brooker kicked the winning field goal 2 minutes and 54 seconds in.
On September 8, 1963
, in the Chiefs’ inaugural game since moving from Dallas, Brooker converted eight extra points in a 59-7 victory over the Denver Broncos
. This remains tied as a franchise single-game record, Mike Mercer
and Lawrence Tynes
equaling it in 1966
and 2004
respectively.
Brooker enjoyed two more solid seasons in 1964
and 1965
. In the former, during which he would be named to the AFL All-Star Game, he made eight field goals and led the AFL with 46 extra points in as many attempts, for a total of 70 points. In 1965 he kicked a career-high 13 field goals and was a perfect 37-for-37 in PATs, for 76 points.
In his career Brooker scored 290 points: the three touchdowns in 1962, 41 field goals in 85 attempts, and a perfect 149-for-149 in PATs. To date, he holds the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs record for most career extra point attempts without a miss.
Demopolis, Alabama
Demopolis is the largest city in Marengo County, Alabama, United States. The population was 7,483 at the time of the 2010 United States Census....
) is a former American collegiate and Professional Football
Professional football
In the United States and Canada, the term professional football includes the professional forms of American and Canadian gridiron football. In common usage, it refers to former and existing major football leagues in either country...
player.
A placekicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
-end, Brooker played for the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
of the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
from 1962-1966.
Brooker 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 the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
under legendary coach Bear Bryant
Bear Bryant
Paul William "Bear" Bryant was an American college football player and coach. He was best known as the longtime head coach of the University of Alabama football team. During his 25-year tenure as Alabama's head coach, he amassed six national championships and thirteen conference championships...
. He was drafted by the Texans in the 17th round (131st overall) in the 1962 AFL Draft
1962 American Football League Draft
-Boston Patriots draft picks :-Buffalo Bills draft picks :-Dallas Texans draft picks :-Denver Broncos draft picks :-Houston Oilers draft picks :...
and by the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
in the 16th round (211th overall) in the same year’s NFL Draft
1962 NFL Draft
The 1962 National Football League Draft was held on December 4, 1961.-Player selections:-Round one:* HOF: Member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:...
.
Doubling as an offensive end, Brooker had his best statistical season in his rookie year, 1962
1962 Dallas Texans season
The 1962 Dallas Texans season was the final season of Lamar Hunt’s American Football League franchise before its relocation to Kansas City, Missouri from Dallas, Texas....
. He caught four passes, three for 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:...
s, the only ones he would score during his career. He also made all 33 of his extra point
Extra Point
Extra Point is a twice-daily, two-minute segment on ESPN Radio that covers generic sports-related topical news and opinion. The AM edition airs Monday through Saturday at various times between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. ET, and the PM edition airs Monday through Friday between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. ET...
attempts and kicked 12 of 22 field goals
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
for a total of 87 points.
Brooker was a member of the Texans team that won the 1962 AFL Championship game
American Football League playoffs
From 1960 to 1968, the American Football League determined its champion via a single playoff game between the winners of its two divisions ....
, the Texans defeating the Houston Oilers (who had won the first two AFL title games, in 1960 and 1961) at Jeppesen Stadium
Robertson Stadium
John O'Quinn Field at Corbin J. Robertson Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Houston, located on the campus of the University of Houston. It is the home of the Houston Cougars football and women's soccer teams...
. It would be the franchise’s final game before their move from Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
to Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
. Teammate Bill Hull
Bill Hull
William Harry Hull, Jr. is a former American football defensive end who played in the American Football League.-Career:Hull played college football at Wake Forest and was selected by the National Football League's Chicago Bears in the 3rd round of the 1962 NFL Draft and the AFL's Boston Patriots...
intercepted the Oilers' George Blanda
George Blanda
George Frederick Blanda was a collegiate and professional football quarterback and placekicker...
late in the first overtime of Professional Football's longest championship game. Hull's interception allowed the Texans to start the second overtime with two runs by Jack Spikes
Jack Spikes
Jack Erwin Spikes is a former American collegiiate and Professional Football running back and placekicker. He played in the American Football League for the Dallas Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Oilers, and the Buffalo Bills...
to move the ball to the Oilers' 25-yard line, and Brooker kicked a field goal to give the Texans the win, 20 - 17. The field goal saved Texans star running back Abner Haynes
Abner Haynes
Abner Haynes is a former college and professional football player in the United States.Haynes is a graduate of North Texas State University where he and his then teammate Leon King integrated college football in the state of Texas in 1956...
from what could have been a costly error: at the start of the overtime, Haynes won the coin toss and stated that his team would “kick to the clock,” which not only gave the Oilers first possession, but put the wind at their backs (the Oilers having gotten the choice of which end zone to defend). The Texans saved Haynes from embarrassment by preventing Houston from scoring in the first overtime; after the teams switched sides for the second, Brooker kicked the winning field goal 2 minutes and 54 seconds in.
On September 8, 1963
1963 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 1963 Kansas City Chiefs season was the inaugural season of Kansas City’s new football franchise. Despite winning the 1962 AFL Championship the previous year, the Chiefs finished the year 5–7–2 and third in their division....
, in the Chiefs’ inaugural game since moving from Dallas, Brooker converted eight extra points in a 59-7 victory over the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. This remains tied as a franchise single-game record, Mike Mercer
Mike Mercer (American football)
Michael Mercer is a former American football kicker and punter who played for six teams from . In the American Football League, he played for the Oakland Raiders, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills...
and Lawrence Tynes
Lawrence Tynes
Lawrence James Henry Tynes is an American football placekicker for the New York Giants. He was originally signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2001.-Early years:...
equaling it in 1966
1966 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 1966 Kansas City Chiefs season ended with the Chiefs' second AFL Championship and first since their relocation to Kansas City, Missouri. Instead of finishing the season with the AFL Championship win, the Chiefs were invited to play in the inaugural AFL-NFL World Championship Game, later known...
and 2004
2004 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 2004 Kansas City Chiefs season proved not to be as successful as the team's previous season. Though the Chiefs finished the regular season with the most yards and the second highest amount of points, they also had a losing record of 7–9 and no playoff appearance.-Schedule:-Standings:...
respectively.
Brooker enjoyed two more solid seasons in 1964
1964 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 1964 Kansas City Chiefs season ended with a 7–7 record and no postseason appearance. The Chiefs began the year with a 2–1 mark before dropping three consecutive games as several of the team’s best players, including E.J. Holub, Fred Arbanas and Johnny Robinson, missed numerous games with injuries...
and 1965
1965 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 1965 Kansas City Chiefs season ended with a 7–5–2 record and no postseason appearance.For the 1965 season, the Chiefs were caught in the middle of the AFL and NFL's bidding wars for college talent. Kansas City made running back Gale Sayers from the University of Kansas their first-round draft...
. In the former, during which he would be named to the AFL All-Star Game, he made eight field goals and led the AFL with 46 extra points in as many attempts, for a total of 70 points. In 1965 he kicked a career-high 13 field goals and was a perfect 37-for-37 in PATs, for 76 points.
In his career Brooker scored 290 points: the three touchdowns in 1962, 41 field goals in 85 attempts, and a perfect 149-for-149 in PATs. To date, he holds the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs record for most career extra point attempts without a miss.