Ahmad Kadar Brooks (born March 14, 1984) is an American former
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly ...
outside linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, p ...
. He played
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football in the United States, American football rules first gained populari ...
at
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...
, and was drafted by the
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The club's home ...
in the third round of the 2006
NFL Supplemental Draft
The National Football League Draft, also called the NFL Draft or (officially) the Player Selection Meeting, is an annual event which serves as the league's most common source of player recruitment. Each team is given a position in the drafting o ...
. He has also played for the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's Nationa ...
and
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. It is the t ...
.
Early years and personal
Brooks attended
C. D. Hylton High School in
Woodbridge, Virginia
Woodbridge is a census-designated place (CDP) in Prince William County, Virginia, United States, located south of Washington, D.C.. Bounded by the Occoquan and Potomac rivers, Woodbridge had 44,668 residents at the 2020 census.
Woodbridge ...
, which he helped lead to two
VHSL state championships during his freshman and sophomore year (1998 and 1999). Becoming recognized his team was nationally ranked, going 40-0 before losing to
Potomac High School of
Woodbridge, Virginia
Woodbridge is a census-designated place (CDP) in Prince William County, Virginia, United States, located south of Washington, D.C.. Bounded by the Occoquan and Potomac rivers, Woodbridge had 44,668 residents at the 2020 census.
Woodbridge ...
, during his junior season in 2000. Brooks injured his ankle during his junior season, which sidelined him that year. His senior season in 2001 was very productive—he had 202 tackles (144 solo), including 34 for loss, and rushed for 848 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging 12.6 yards per carry. The semifinal loss to
Thomas Dale High School
Thomas Dale High School is a public high school located in Chester, an unincorporated community in Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States.
It was named for Sir Thomas Dale, a 17th-century leader in the Virginia Colony. The high school is ...
of
Chester, Virginia
Chester is a census-designated place (CDP) in Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 23,414.
History
Chester's original "downtown" was a stop which was an intersection of the Richmond and Peters ...
, in 2001 was the only loss in which he played. He was named as the ''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'' national high school defensive player of the year after the 2001 season. He participated in the 2002
U.S. Army All-American Bowl game.
Considered a five-star recruit by
Rivals.com, Brooks was listed as the number-one middle linebacker in the nation in 2002.
His father, former
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) ...
defensive tackle
Perry Brooks, died in March 2010.
College career
Following high school, Brooks spent one semester at
Hargrave Military Academy
Hargrave Military Academy (HMA) is a private, all-male, military boarding school located in the town of Chatham, Virginia. Hargrave is affiliated with the Baptist General Association of Virginia emphasizing Christian values that focuses on a col ...
in
Chatham, Virginia
Chatham is a town in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, United States. It is the county seat of Pittsylvania County. Chatham's population was 1,269 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Danville, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town w ...
, a military post-graduate school, before enrolling in the
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia (UVA) is a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United States, with highly selective ad ...
in the winter of 2003. He earned a starting position on the
Virginia Cavaliers football
The Virginia Cavaliers football team represents the University of Virginia in the sport of American football. Established in 1888, Virginia plays its home games at Scott Stadium, capacity 61,500, featured directly on its campus near the Academi ...
team as a freshman and finished the year with a career-high and team-leading 117
tackles. He also had four
sacks, six
passes defensed, 10 tackles for loss, and 15 quarterback pressures. He had a career-high 12 tackles vs.
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
in the
Continental Tire Bowl
The Duke’s Mayo Bowl is an annual college football bowl game that has been played at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, since 2002. The game currently features a matchup between a team from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) ...
, including a key stop early in the contest to complete a goal-line stand.
During his sophomore year at the University of Virginia, he was one of three
Butkus Award
The Butkus Award, instituted in 1985 by the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando, is given annually to the top linebackers at the high school, collegiate and professional levels of football. The award, named in honor of College Football Hall of Fame ...
finalists, awarded annually to the best college linebacker in the country. He played in 12 games, earning
All-America
The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...
honors after totaling a team-leading 90 tackles with eight sacks, two interceptions, 11 quarterback pressures, and 10 tackles for loss. Brooks earned
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate athletic conference located in the eastern United States. Headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC's fifteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Assoc ...
defensive lineman of the week honors for his performance against the
Maryland Terrapins
The Maryland Terrapins, commonly referred to as the Terps, consist of 19 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Maryland, College Park in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Divis ...
. Following his sophomore campaign, Brooks underwent knee surgery.
Brooks missed the first half of his junior year while rehabilitating his knee. He finished the year with 27 tackles (10 solo) and one sack, plus four passes defensed, and five quarterback pressures in only six games. Brooks was dismissed from the Cavalier football team following the 2005 season due to off-field issues.
Professional career
Cincinnati Bengals
Brooks entered the
NFL supplemental draft
The National Football League Draft, also called the NFL Draft or (officially) the Player Selection Meeting, is an annual event which serves as the league's most common source of player recruitment. Each team is given a position in the drafting o ...
following his junior season at Virginia and was selected by the Bengals in the third round on July 13, 2006. He made his NFL debut September 24 at
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
(no statistics). As a rookie, he played in 11 contests (games 3-9, 11-12, and 16), with starts at middle linebacker in games 5-9. He had 46 tackles with one sack, 2 passes defended, and one special-teams tackle.
In the 2007 season opener on ''
Monday Night Football
''ESPN Monday Night Football'' (abbreviated as ''MNF'' and also known as ''ESPN Monday Night Football on ABC'' for simulcasts) is an American live television broadcast of weekly National Football League (NFL) games currently airing on ESPN, ...
'' against the
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...
, Brooks was the starting middle linebacker. Brooks ended the game with six tackles, one sack, and a forced fumble. In the first series of the game against the
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conferenc ...
in week 2, Brooks tore his groin muscle, which ended his season. He was placed on
injured reserve
The injured reserve list ( IR list) is a designation used in North American professional sports leagues for athletes who suffer injuries and become unable to play. The exact name of the list varies by league; it is known as "injured reserve" in th ...
on November 7, 2007.
Brooks was waived by the Bengals on August 30, 2008, during the final roster cuts.
San Francisco 49ers
On August 31, 2008, Brooks was claimed off waivers by the San Francisco 49ers. In week 14, Brooks recorded single-game career-highs of 3 sacks and 2 forced fumbles against the
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play th ...
.
Brooks recorded career highs in both tackles (50) and sacks (8) during the 2011 regular season. He led the 49ers into the postseason where they lost to the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisio ...
in the NFC Championship.
On February 28, 2012, Brooks signed a six-year contract extension worth $44.5 million, with $17.5 million guaranteed. During the 2012 season, Brooks had 35 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, an interception, 6.5 sacks, and 6 passes defended in 16 games started. He again led the 49ers into the postseason and this time,
Super Bowl XLVII
Super Bowl XLVII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Baltimore Ravens and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion San Francisco 49ers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion ...
but the 49ers lost to the
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...
by a score of 31–34.
On November 20, 2013, Brooks was fined $15,750 by the NFL for a controversial roughing-the-passer penalty in which Brooks struck the neck of
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
quarterback
Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees (; born January 15, 1979) is an American former American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, Brees i ...
, the same quarterback off whom he scored his first touchdown. This fine was later overturned.
Brooks was released by the 49ers on August 25, 2017.
Green Bay Packers
On September 3, 2017, Brooks signed a one-year deal with the
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. It is the t ...
.
NFL statistics
Regular season
Postseason
References
External links
San Francisco 49ers bioGreen Bay Packers bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brooks, Ahmad
1984 births
Living people
Sportspeople from Fairfax County, Virginia
People from Woodbridge, Virginia
African-American players of American football
American football linebackers
Virginia Cavaliers football players
Cincinnati Bengals players
San Francisco 49ers players
Unconferenced Pro Bowl players
Green Bay Packers players
Hargrave Military Academy alumni
21st-century African-American sportspeople
20th-century African-American people