Editing Derrick Brooks

{{Infobox NFLactive
|name=Derrick Brooks
|image=Derrick Brooks with 2006 Pro Bowl MVP trophy 060210-N-4856G-129.jpg
|caption=Brooks with the 2006 Pro Bowl MVP trophy
|currentteam=Free Agent
|currentnumber=55
|currentpositionplain=[[Linebacker]]
|birthdate={{birth date and age|1973|4|18}}
|birthplace=Pensacola, Florida
|heightft=6
|heightin=0
|weight=235
|debutyear=1995
|debutteam=Tampa Bay Buccaneers
|college=[[Florida State Seminoles football|Florida State]]
|draftyear=1995
|draftround=1
|draftpick=28
|pastteams=<nowiki></nowiki>
* [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] ({{NFL Year|1995}}–{{NFL Year|2008}})
|status=Free Agent
|highlights=<nowiki></nowiki>
* 11× [[Pro Bowl]] selection ([[1998 Pro Bowl|1997]], [[1999 Pro Bowl|1998]], [[2000 Pro Bowl|1999]], [[2001 Pro Bowl|2000]], [[2002 Pro Bowl|2001]], [[2003 Pro Bowl|2002]], [[2004 Pro Bowl|2003]], [[2005 Pro Bowl|2004]], [[2006 Pro Bowl|2005]], [[2007 Pro Bowl|2006]], [[2009 Pro Bowl|2008]])
* 6× First-team All-Pro ([[1999 All-Pro Team|1999]], [[2000 All-Pro Team|2000]], [[2002 All-Pro Team|2002]], [[2003 All-Pro Team|2003]], [[2004 All-Pro Team|2004]], [[2005 All-Pro Team|2005]])
* 3× Second-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1997 All-Pro Team|1997]], [[1998 All-Pro Team|1998]], [[2001 All-Pro Team|2001]])
* 9× First-team All-[[National Football Conference|NFC]] (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005)
* [[NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award|AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year]] (2002)
* [[Super Bowl]] champion ([[Super Bowl XXXVII|XXXVII]])
* [[#Awards and honors|College awards and honors]]
* [[#NFL awards and honors|NFL awards and honors]]
|statweek=17
|statseason=2008
|statlabel1=[[Tackle (football move)|Tackle]]s
|statvalue1=1,698
|statlabel2=[[Quarterback sack|Sack]]s
|statvalue2=13.5
|statlabel3=[[Interception (American football)|INT]]s
|statvalue3=25
|nfl=BRO122327
}}
'''Derrick Dewan Brooks''' (born April 18, 1973 in {{city-state|Pensacola|Florida}}) is an [[American football]] [[linebacker]]. He was released following the [[2008 NFL season]] by the [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]], 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]].

==Early years==
Brooks starred at [[Booker T. Washington High School (Pensacola)|Washington High School]] in [[Pensacola, Florida|Pensacola]]. In 1989, his junior year, Brooks carried B.T. Washington to the state playoff semifinals, where they lost to the eventual champion Bradenton Manatee.  In 2007, he was named to the [[FHSAA's All-Century Team|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 University]] he was a four-year letterman and was first-team [[All-American]] his senior year. Brooks was on the 1993 Seminoles National Championship team. He graduated from college early because of his academic excellence.

===Awards and honors===
* 3× First-team All-[[Atlantic Coast Conference|ACC]] (1992–1994)
* 2× [[All-America]]n  ([[1993 College Football All-America Team|1993]], [[1994 College Football All-America Team|1994]])
* ACC Defensive Player of the Year (1993)
* 2× [[Vince Lombardi Award]] finalist (1993–1994)

==Professional career==
===Tampa Bay Buccaneers===
Brooks was selected in the first round of the [[1995 NFL Draft]] by Tampa Bay.  Brooks was instrumental in turning the Buccaneers from perennial doormats into eventual [[Super Bowl]] 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.

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===
* 6× First-team All-Pro ([[1999 All-Pro Team|1999]], [[2000 All-Pro Team|2000]], [[2002 All-Pro Team|2002]], [[2003 All-Pro Team|2003]], [[2004 All-Pro Team|2004]], [[2005 All-Pro Team|2005]])
* 3× Second-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1997 All-Pro Team|1997]], [[1998 All-Pro Team|1998]], [[2001 All-Pro Team|2001]])
* 9× First-team All-[[National Football Conference|NFC]] (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005)
* 11× [[Pro Bowl]] selection ([[1998 Pro Bowl|1997]], [[1999 Pro Bowl|1998]], [[2000 Pro Bowl|1999]], [[2001 Pro Bowl|2000]], [[2002 Pro Bowl|2001]], [[2003 Pro Bowl|2002]], [[2004 Pro Bowl|2003]], [[2005 Pro Bowl|2004]], [[2006 Pro Bowl|2005]], [[2007 Pro Bowl|2006]], [[2009 Pro Bowl|2008]])
* Co-[[Walter Payton Man of the Year Award]] (2000)
* [[NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award|AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year]] (2002)
* [[Super Bowl]] champion ([[Super Bowl XXXVII|XXXVII]])
* [[Pro Bowl MVP]] ([[2006 Pro Bowl|2005]])

==Personal==
Derrick Brooks is married to Carol Brooks. They 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.

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.


==External links==
*[http://www.derrickbrookscharities.org/ Derrick Brooks Charities]
*[http://buccaneers.com/team/playerdetail.aspx?player=Brooks,Derrick,55 Tampa Bay Buccaneers bio]
* [http://www.nfl.com NFL website