Derrick Brooks
Derrick Brooks
Derrick Dewan Brooksis an American former football linebacker who played in the National Football Leaguefor fourteen seasons. He played college football for Florida State University, and was twice recognized as a consensus All-American. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the 1995 NFL Draft, where he played his entire professional career. An eleven-time Pro Bowl selection and nine-time All-Pro, Brooks was named AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2002, and earned a...
ProfessionFootball Player
Date of Birth18 April 1973
CityPensacola, FL
To me, that's Hall of Fame, ... To know you had an impact on one person in this world. For them to give you so much credit when you hear young people tell you what you mean to their lives. That changed me as a person. Being around those kids at that young age helped me mature as a man. It kept me from all other distractions that could've knocked me off the path. They were saving me as much as I was saving them.
They get beat up so much. I think these guys stepped up and played well with basically two rookies starting. These guys kept pounding and pounding.
This was about helping the team and putting us in the position to keep a lot of our players here that we currently have and, at the same time, give us something to go get a player that we felt could help us win a Super Bowl. That's the way it's always been when I've done this, a two-way street.
Twice we've played him and he's hurt us for big runs.
We just played collectively as a unit. Everybody did their job and pitched in.
We wanted to stop Willis McGahee. If he's able to run the football, then that takes a lot of pressure off a young quarterback.
Obviously, we wanted to play better than we played last week, come out of the gates a little faster. We had an opportunity to make some plays ... and we did.
I was telling guys over there in the fourth quarter, we've got to hold on to get a win. We had some fun guys this year in the NFC, and I'm just glad I could be a part of it and help contribute to winning.
I would give up one thousand yards to get a win.
Simeon was very emotional stepping in that huddle.
Obviously, business decisions are made in this league. Losing the players we lost the last few years, I'm not going to tell you it didn't hurt because it did. It hurt to see you build something with someone and they're gone, not by their own will but by the will and the decisions made by others.
Obviously, business decisions are made in this league,
Let's not be naive to the system. For the countless examples of people who have changed teams, there are countless of examples of people who haven't changed teams. Darrell Green finished his career with the Redskins and he always was one of the highest-paid cornerbacks in the league. Jackie Slater was always one of the highest-paid tackles in the league and he played his whole career with the Rams. Brett Favre got a $100-million contract a few years ago and they found a way to keep him, so it can be done. Is it important to me? Yes. Is it in my hands? No.
As an athlete you've got to watch your hydration and your nutrition, and use the right kinds of fuel to help you perform your best.