1. Buccaneers LB Derrick Brooks – 1995-2008

By Trevor Sikkema

Brooks grew up in the heart of southern football, attending Washington High School in Pensacola, Florida. In his senior season, Brooks helped lead his team to the state playoff semifinals. Later down the road, in 2007, Brooks was named to the Florida High School Athletic Association All-Century Team.

Brooks decided to stay close to home and attend Florida State University for college. He was a four-year letterman, a consensus first-team All-American his junior and senior years, and a three-time first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) selection. After playing as safety as a freshman, he switched to linebacker as a sophomore. In 1993, Brooks helped lead the Seminoles to a National Championship. He finished his career with 274 tackles, five interceptions, 8.5 sacks, 13 passes defensed, four forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries.

Brooks was one of the two iconic picks in the 1995 NFL Draft that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made, along with Warren Sapp, that changed the franchise forever. Brooks played 14 years for the Buccaneers and is widely considered one of the best (if not the best) players in franchise history – and one of the best linebackers in NFL history. Brooks started 221 of 224 games, recording 1,698 tackles, 13.5 sacks, 25 interceptions, and six touchdowns (tied for the most in NFL history by a linebacker with Bobby Bell). He was selected to the Pro Bowl 11 times, including 10 straight from 1997 to 2006. He was an All-Pro nine times, was the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2002, and led the team to the franchise’s first Super Bowl win in Super Bowl XXXVII.

Brooks is the franchise’s all-time leader in tackles, is second all-time in career starts, and fifth all-time in interceptions.

Sikkema’s Take: “You won’t get far in a conversation about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers without mentioning Derrick Brook’s name. He’s not only considered the best linebacker in team history, but also one of the best people to come through the franchise for everything he has done in the Tampa Bay community. He was a champion both on and off the field, and will forever be talk about as one of the greatest to ever play the game.