TAMPA, Fla. -- Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Derrick Brooks officially retired from the NFL on Wednesday, making the announcement in a two-minute video presentation.
Brooks, an 11-time Pro Bowl selection, hasn't played in the league since being released by the Bucs after the 2008 season. Brooks thanked fans, coaches and former teammates, including NFL Network analyst Warren Sapp, John Lynch, Ronde Barber and Simeon Rice, in the video message posted Wednesday on the Web site derrickbrooks.tv.
"I simply want to say thank you to all you fans for supporting Derrick Brooks as well as the Buccaneers throughout my 14 years," Brooks said.
The Bucs have scheduled a news conference for Thursday.
Brooks played 14 seasons, helping transform Tampa Bay from a franchise that had been the laughingstock of the NFL into a Super Bowl champion. Brooks was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2002, the season the Bucs won the Super Bowl.
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press
