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Derrick Brooks

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'''Derrick Brooks''' is a linebacker in the [[Wikipedia:National Football League|National Football League]](NFL). In Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003, Brooks was a key member of the [[Wikipedia:Tampa Bay Buccaneers|Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] triumph. He played in Pensacola for [[Washington High School|Washington High School]] and then was on scholarship with [[Wikipedia:Florida State University|Florida State University]] before playing 14 years for Tampa Bay. Brooks was instrumental in turning the Buccaneers from perennial doormats into eventual [[Wikipedia:~~Tampa Bay Buccaneers~~Super Bowl|~~Tampa Bay Buccaneers~~Super Bowl]]~~. He currently is an unrestricted free-agent~~champions.

~~after being(born April 18, 1973~~ in {{city-state|Pensacola|Florida}}) is an [[American football]] [[linebacker]]. He was released following the [[2008 NFL season]] by the , the team with which he had spent his entire 14-year [[NFL]] career. He was drafted by the Buccaneers 28th overall in the [[1995 NFL Draft]] after playing [[college football]] for [[Florida State Seminoles football|Florida State University]].

An eleven-time [[Pro Bowl]] selection and nine-time [[All-Pro]], Brooks was named [[NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award|AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year]] in 2002. He earned a [[Super Bowl ring]] with the Buccaneers in [[Super Bowl XXXVII]].

==Professional career==

~~Brooks was selected in the~~ Tampa Bay had two first -round of selections in the 1995 NFL ~~Draft by Tampa Bay~~draft. At number 12 they took defensive tackle '''Warren Sapp''' from Miami. ~~Brooks was instrumental in turning~~ With the 28th selection, the Buccaneers selected Brooks. The 28th pick had been acquired from ~~perennial doormats into eventual~~ the [[Wikipedia:Dallas Cowboys|Dallas Cowboys]], whose roster already comprised Pensacola native [[~~Super Bowl~~Emmitt Smith]] ~~champions~~.

Brooks has long been considered one of the premier linebackers in the NFL, as respected off the field as he is feared on it. He was selected to the [[Pro Bowl]] every year from 1997 to 2007, but his 10-year streak ended in 2007, as he did not make the 2008 Pro Bowl. He was selected to the 2009 Pro Bowl, his eleventh selection. Brooks is one of 5 players in history to be voted to 10 Pro Bowls, named Defensive Player of the Year, and be a Super Bowl Champion. The other 4 are [[Mike Singletary]], [[Reggie White]], [[Lawrence Taylor]], and [[Ray Lewis (American football)|Ray Lewis]]. He has also been named All-Pro 9 times. Brooks currently leads all defensive players in consecutive starts, surpassing the 200 start mark late in the 2007 season.

Brooks also was named [[NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award|NFL Defensive Player of the Year]] by the [[Associated Press]] in 2002. That year, Brooks returned three [[Interception (football)|interceptions]] for touchdowns in the [[2002 NFL season|regular season]], an NFL record for linebackers, and also returned a fumble for a score, for a total of an NFL record 4 defensive touchdowns at the OLB position. In [[Super Bowl XXXVII]], his 44-yard interception return for a touchdown ensured a victory for the Buccaneers.Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48–21 Oakland Raiders Qualcomm Stadium (3)d[›] San Diego, California (3)

Brooks earned [[2006 Pro Bowl]] MVP honors by returning a [[Trent Green]] pass 59 yards for a touchdown, leading the NFC to a win. He has also won the Bart Starr Award in 2004 for his off the field accomplishments in the Tampa Bay community.

Brooks was released by the Buccaneers after 14 seasons on February 25, 2009.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hBtVEGL3EHNRcEXt6hv134Jh8_2wD96IUI7G3| title=Bucs release Brooks, 4 others| publisher=Associated Press| date=2009-02-25| accessdate=2009-02-25}}</ref>

===NFL ~~awards and honors~~Awards / Honors===

* 6× First-team All-Pro: (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005)

* 3× Second-team All-Pro (1997, 1998, 2001)

==Personal==

Derrick Dewan Brooks was born April 18, 1973. He is married to '''Carol Brooks''' and have four children: their daughters '''Brianna Monai''' (11) and '''Denice''' (born September, 2005) and sons, '''Derrick Brooks, Jr.''' (7) and '''Darius Dewan'''.

Brooks has donated much of his money to charity. In addition Brooks donated $1,000 for every tackle he made against the Seahawks (10) which was a total of $10,000. 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 ~~[[[[Wikipedia:Jeb Bush|Jeb Bush]].~~ '''Walter Payton ''' Man of the Year Award]] and was named to the FSU Board of Trustees in 2003 by Governor [[[[Wikipedia:Jeb Bush|Jeb Bush]].

* [http://www.nfl.com NFL website

* [http://www.buccaneers.com Tampa Bay Buccaneers website]

* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Super_Bowl_champions List of Super Bowl Champions]

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