James Brooks (American football) facts for kids
Brooks with the San Diego Chargers c. 1982
|
|||||||
| No. 21, 28, 20 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Running back | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | December 28, 1958 Warner Robins, Georgia, U.S. |
||||||
| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 177 lb (80 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Warner Robins (GA) | ||||||
| College: | Auburn | ||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1981 / Round: 1 / Pick: 24 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
|
|||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
|
|||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
|
|||||||
| Player stats at PFR | |||||||
James Robert Brooks, born on December 28, 1958, is a former American football player. He was a talented running back in the National Football League (NFL). Brooks played college football for the Auburn Tigers before joining four different teams in the NFL. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl four times, all while playing for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Contents
James Brooks: A Football Star
Early Life and College Years
James Brooks grew up in Warner Robins, Georgia. He played for the Warner Robins High School Demons football team. In 1976, he helped lead his high school team to both state and national championships. He also set a school record for the most rushing yards, which means he ran with the ball for more yards than any player before him. This record stood for many years!
After high school, Brooks went on to play college football at Auburn University from 1977 to 1980. While at Auburn, he became an All-American player. This is a special honor given to the best college athletes in the country. He set new school records for kickoff-return yards (1,726 yards) and all-purpose yards (5,596 yards). All-purpose yards include yards from running, catching, and returning kicks. He also scored 30 touchdowns for Auburn.
Playing in the NFL
James Brooks was a top pick in the 1981 NFL draft, chosen 24th overall in the first round. He played professionally for several teams. These included the San Diego Chargers (1981–1983), the Cincinnati Bengals (1984–1991), the Cleveland Browns (1992), and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1992).
His Time with the Chargers
During his first year with the Chargers, Brooks was part of two very famous NFL games: "The Epic in Miami" and the "Freezer Bowl." Even though he was a key player, he only started seven games in his three seasons with the Chargers. He was usually the second choice for running the ball after another player named Chuck Muncie. Brooks had one amazing game with the Chargers where he ran for 105 yards and scored three touchdowns.
In 1984, Brooks was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals. This trade is often seen as one of the best moves the Bengals ever made. The player they traded for, Pete Johnson, only played one more season.
Becoming a Star with the Bengals
James Brooks truly shined with the Cincinnati Bengals. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl four times (in 1986, 1988, 1989, and 1990). A Pro Bowl selection means you are one of the best players in the league at your position. Brooks was great at running the ball, catching passes, and returning kicks. He was known for his ability to gain extra yards even when defenders were trying to tackle him.
By the time he left the Bengals in 1991, he was the team's all-time leading rusher with 6,447 yards. This record was later broken by Corey Dillon. Brooks is also still among the Bengals' top players for receiving yards, with 297 receptions (catches) for 3,012 yards.
Later Career and Achievements
When James Brooks retired after the 1992 season, he had impressive career totals. He had 7,962 rushing yards, 3,621 receiving yards from 383 catches, 565 punt return yards, and 2,762 kickoff return yards. In total, he scored 79 touchdowns (49 by running and 30 by catching passes).
Brooks was also part of a very exclusive group called the "30/30 club." This means he scored at least 30 rushing touchdowns and 30 receiving touchdowns. For a long time, he was the only player to achieve this between 1968 and 2005. As of 2022, his total of 14,910 all-purpose yards ranks him 41st on the NFL's list of career all-purpose yards.
In 1986, Brooks had a breakout season. He ran for a then-franchise record of 1,087 rushing yards and made his first Pro Bowl. One memorable play was a 56-yard touchdown run against the New England Patriots. He broke many tackles and dragged defenders into the end zone. In that same game, he had 163 rushing yards and 101 receiving yards. This was one of only two times in Bengals history a player had over 100 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving in the same game.
After missing part of the 1987 season due to an injury, he returned strong in 1988. He ran for 931 yards and set career highs with eight rushing touchdowns and six receiving touchdowns. He played a big part in the Bengals reaching Super Bowl XXIII. In 1989, he had his best year ever, rushing for a franchise-record 1,239 yards. He also broke 1,000 yards again in 1990, including a huge 201-yard game against the Houston Oilers. Brooks finished his career after the 1992 season.
James Brooks holds at least five Bengals franchise records, including:
- Most rush yards per attempt in a career (4.8 yards).
- Most rush yards per attempt in a season (5.61 yards in 1989).
- Most yards from scrimmage in a season (1,773 yards in 1986).
- Most all-purpose yards in a season (1,773 yards in 1986).
- Most games with 3 or more touchdowns scored in a season (2 games in 1988).
