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posted 08/02/99
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| Robert Brooks announces his retirement from football to a packed media auditorium at Lambeau Field. |
Robert Brooks, the Green Bay Packers' all-time leading receiver in postseason play, and one of the most popular and productive players in the team's history, today announced his retirement from professional football.
Brooks' retirement comes in the wake of a 1998 season in which he was beset by nagging back and hamstring injuries, restricting his participation to 12 games and requiring him to sit out three of the season's last four contests, and following two back operations in the past 12 months.
He had undergone arthroscopic surgery to correct a lower back problem on August 7, 1998, and a second such procedure January 6, 1999, after returning from inactive status to start in the Packers' wild card playoff game at San Francisco January 3.
The 29-year-old Brooks, who endeared himself to Packers fans by leaping into the stands to share his elation with them following his touchdown receptions, bows out as the seventh-leading receiver in the club's 80-year history (306 catches for 4,225 yards, a 13.8-yard average, and 32 touchdowns), and tied (with Carroll Dale, Gerry Ellis and Elijah Pitts) for 22nd place in career scoring with 210 points.
He also closes out his distinguished career as the team's all-time leading receiver in postseason competition with 45 catches for 651 yards - both team marks - for a 14.5-yard average and 4 touchdowns.
Brooks, a third-round draft selection out of South Carolina in 1992, additionally leaves Green Bay's green and gold as the possessor of the team's single-season record for receiving yards - 1,497 in 1995 - a year he became only the fifth player in Packers history to record a 1,000-yard season, joining Don Hutson, Billy Howton, James Lofton and Sterling Sharpe.
In so doing, he amassed 102 receptions, which remain the third-highest single-season total in Packers history, and set a team, single-season record with nine 100-yard receiving games (among a career total of 13).
| Robert Brooks by the Number | |
| 4,225 | career receiving yards |
| 1,497 | receiving yards in 1995 |
| 651 | postseason receiving yards |
| 306 | career catches |
| 210 | career points |
| 99 | yard TD against Chicago |
| 87 | jersey number |
| 62 | pick in 1992 draft |
| 45 | postseason catches |
| 29 | years old |
| 24.3 | kickoff return average |
| 13 | 100-yard receiving games |
| 7 | seasons with Packers |
| 6 | games with 2 TD catches |
Two years later, rebounding from major knee surgery which had ended his 1996 season after seven games, he returned to catch 60 passes for 1,010 yards in 1997 - his second and final 1,000-yard season - while helping the Packers capture a third straight NFC Central Division title and a second consecutive National Football Conference championship.
En route, he also paired with Antonio Freeman to become the first wide receiver tandem in team history to post 1,000-yard seasons while piling up a club-record 2,253 yards between them.
His remarkable turnaround from career-threatening injuries earned him selection by the Pro Football Writers of America/Pro Football Weekly as "NFL Comeback Player of the Year."
In addition to establishing new team, career records for most postseason pass receptions and receiving yards, Brooks also shares club playoff marks for most consecutive games, one or more pass receptions, 11 (with Dorsey Levens); most games 100 or more yards receiving, 3 (with Freeman); and most consecutive games, 100 or more yards receiving, 2 (with Sharpe and Freeman).
Brooks also has four postseason touchdown receptions to his credit and thus ranks behind only Freeman (7) and Boyd Dowler (5) in team annals.
Invariably productive, regardless of the assignment, Brooks first gained prominence in 1993 when he supplemented his contributions as a receiver by leading the NFL in kickoff returns with a 26.6-yard average, thus becoming the first Packer to lead the league in this specialty since Steve Odom appropriated NFL honors in 1978.
As another demonstration of both his versatility and productivity, Brooks returns as possessor of the league's postseason record for highest punt return average, 15.3 (based on 10 or more returns). He also holds the club's postseason record for most punt return yards in a career, 214.
Career Stats
Robert Brooks Retirement Audio Clips
Robert Brooks Announces His Retirement (Real Audio)
WR Coach Charlie Baggett (Real Audio)
Offensive Coordinator Sherm Lewis (Real Audio)
QB Brett Favre (Real Audio)
LB George Koonce (Real Audio)