Buccaneers Legend Derrick Brooks ‘Humbled and Honored’ by Anniversary Team Selection

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers struck gold when they drafted linebacker Derrick Brooks in 1995 after he was a standout at the Reese’s Senior Bowl.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 1995 NFL Draft class started out with quite conflicting emotions. 

While eventual Buccaneers legendary defensive tackle Warren Sapp was less than thrilled to join the franchise he’d soon find that doing so with linebacker Derrick Brooks would put them and the franchise on a championship path. 

Of course, now everyone smiles when thinking about those great days of Bucs football, but it wasn’t always that way.

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And as the Reese’s Senior Bowl looks back even further to 75 years of helping connect talented players with NFL decision-makers, it counts Brooks as one of the shining examples of what their efforts are all about.

“I am so humbled and honored to be amongst this great group of players, especially these linebackers,” Brooks said when told he’d been named to the Senior Bowl 75th Anniversary Team. “Thank you to all the voters. The Senior Bowl impacted so much of my player career and set the stage for me to show the NFL personnel that I was ready for the NFL.”

Derrick Brooks poses with his bust at the 2014 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement at Fawcett Stadium / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Those other linebackers Brooks spoke of include Brian Urlacher (Chicago Bears), Patrick Willis (San Francisco 49ers), and Bobby Wagner (Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams).

Outside linebackers Von Miller (Denver Broncos, Rams, Buffalo Bills) and Cornelius Bennett (Indianapolis Colts, Bills, Atlanta Falcons) are also among those on the list. 

While Brooks spent his full career with Tampa Bay cornerback Richard Sherman was only with the franchise a short time in his own, but is on the team as well after being a star with the Seattle Seahawks and later with the San Francisco 49ers.

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Brooks spent 14 years with the Buccaneers before retiring and not only won a Super Bowl but was an 11-time Pro Bowl player including 10 straight selections from 1997-2006.

He was selected as a First-Team All-Pro five times in his career and became a member of the 2014 Class enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. 

You can find the full anniversary team roster, here.

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