On Wednesday, Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive lineman Brandon Brooks announced his retirement after ten seasons. The 32-year-old spoke at a press conference, also taking to social media to address the news.
“How do you say goodbye to something you’ve known your whole life? Something that taught you triumph, pain, success, failure, perseverance, love, empathy, and altruism. I don’t know, but I’ll try my best. YES, after ten years in this game, it’s true. I am retiring.”
AN EAGLES LEGEND
The Houston Texans drafted Brooks as a third-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. After spending five seasons with the team, the Eagles signed him to a five-year contract as right guard. Brooks was selected for three consecutive Pro Bowls (2017-2019), winning his first Super Bowl after defeating the New England Patriots.
Brooks became the highest-paid guard in the NFL after signing a four-year contract extension worth $54.2 million in 2019. However, a number of injuries would become his demise. A dislocated shoulder that year forced him to miss the post season, followed by a ruptured Achilles for which he would miss the entirety of the 2020 season. He returned in 2021, but suffered a pectoral strain in Week 2, never making it back to the field.
During his press conference today, Brooks stated, “It’s something I wrestled with since really last offseason. I think in this game, although I’m a young man in the game of life, I’m older now at 32, I think my body is trying to tell me through these injuries that, can I still play? The answer is yes. But the answer also is, can I hold up? After all these injuries, I just realized that, at what point do you listen to your body? I think my body was just telling me I had to make a decision. At this point in time I think it’s the right decision.”
Prior to the conference today, Brooks signed a new contract with Philadelphia, reducing his 2022 cap number from $19.4 million to $7.1 million. The Eagles could now carry that money over and officially retire Brooks in June. The cap number would then decrease to approximately $6 million, leaving the Eagles with $9.8 million in dead money for 2023.
“These past six years I wouldn’t trade for the world. I attacked my rehab with the passion and intensity I always do, but making it back just wasn’t in the cards. It didn’t end the way I would have liked it, but to me it’s never about the ending. It’s about the journey.”
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) January 26, 2022
Brooks made 67 total starts (including playoffs) with the Eagles and was a force to be reckoned with. His presence in midnight green will certainly be missed.
