By Jennifer McGraw, Sports Talk Philly Contributor 
Philadelphia Eagles guard, Brandon Brooks, officially announced his retirement Tuesday morning in a press conference. Brooks helped the Eagles win their first Super Bowl in 2017 during his six years with the team. The 3x Pro-Bowl and Super Bowl LII Champion expressed gratitude towards his family, coaches, fellow teammates, and fans in his opening statement.
“I would like to thank my family for all of their love and support,” Brooks said as he started to list off all of the people he is thankful for in helping him in his career. Besides the plentiful amount of Eagles coaches, players, and staff he thanked, he also gave a shout out to the Houston Texans organization.
Brooks joined the NFL in 2012 as a third-round draft pick to the Houston Texans. He started with the Texans for three seasons before signing with Philadelphia in 2016 as a free agent. The 6-foot-5, 335-pound beast was an incredible asset to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Though Brooks was a tremendous athlete on the field, he did a lot of work off the field to bring light to mental health awareness off the field. Following a game against the Seattle Seahawks in 2019, Brooks released a statement on Twitter following the reason he could not finish playing, alluding to his struggles with his anxiety. Brooks was diagnosed in 2016. According to Forbes, after seeing a psychologist in once a week, Brooks “went more than 2 seasons without missing a game.” His inspiration paved the way for fans, and fellow teammates, such as offensive tackle Lane Johnson, to share their stories as well.
Brooks attributed a reason for his retirement being the way his injuries in recent years, as well as his age, contributing to his decision to retire.
“Lastly, to the city and the fans, I was extremely fortunate to help bring a championship to the city, have multiple Pro-Bowls appearances, but none greater than having the honor of being an Eagle,” said Brooks.
“Since day one you’ve had my back and supported me through my ups and downs by sending love and support through my struggles. You will always be family to me. Though I may no longer play, I will always be an Eagle forever.” Brooks said.
