No. 40, 41 | |||||||||
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Position: | Running back | ||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||
Born: | Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S. | January 19, 1971||||||||
Height: | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||||||||
Weight: | 211 lb (96 kg) | ||||||||
Career information | |||||||||
High school: | Washington (Tulsa, Oklahoma) | ||||||||
College: | Notre Dame | ||||||||
NFL draft: | 1993 / round: 2 / pick: 45 | ||||||||
Career history | |||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Reginald Arthur Brooks (born January 19, 1971) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, earning second-team All-American honors in 1992.
Brooks attended Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is the uncle to Minnesota Vikings Linebacker Anthony Barr.
Brooks was inducted into Booker T. Washington’s 2022 Ring of Honor class during a ceremony between the Hornets’ basketball games against Bixby on Friday night, Feb 4, 2022 at Nathan E. Harris Fieldhouse. [1]
Brooks, following his older brother Tony, enrolled at the University of Notre Dame in 1989. Originally a defensive back, he converted to tailback for the 1991 season and won a spot in the starting lineup for 1992. During his senior season at Notre Dame, Brooks enjoyed massive success, rushing for 1,372 yards with an 8.0 yards per carry average while scoring 13 touchdowns. He was named an All-American and finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting that year.
He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the second round of the 1993 NFL draft. [2] Brooks had a great rookie season with 1,063 rushing yards with a 4.8 average. The rest of his career didn't pan out and he was out of football by the end of the 1996 NFL season. He spent three years with the Redskins and one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Brooks is employed by Notre Dame as its Director of Student-Athlete Alumni Relations/Engagement. He is also a fixture on Notre Dame's football post-game show and other productions of Fighting Irish Digital Media. [3] He is married and has five children.
He is well known for a 20-yard touchdown run against rival University of Michigan in 1992. After catching a pitched ball on an option-right, Brooks broke six Wolverines tackles, the last of which knocked him unconscious before stumbling across the goal-line and collapsing face-first in the end zone. [4]
The Fighting Irish went up against Penn State in the final home game of 1992. A heavy snowfall throughout the first half made for a highly defensive struggle between the two perennial powerhouse programs. Trailing 16–9 with 4:25 left in the fourth quarter, senior quarterback Rick Mirer led the Irish on a 64-yard scoring drive, throwing to fullback Jerome Bettis on fourth down for a 3-yard score. Down by one point, Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz opted to go for two points and the win. Mirer dropped back to pass and was forced out of the pocket by the Penn State defense. Brooks, who had lined up as a slot receiver, worked across the field as the two primary receivers on the play were covered. Despite the fact that Brooks only had one reception all season, Mirer lofted the ball towards him in the back corner of the end zone. Brooks made a diving catch and the Irish prevailed, 17–16. [5]
He was the winner of the 1995 and 1996 Madden Bowl.
Charles Joseph Weis Sr. is a former American football coach. He was the head coach for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish from 2005 to 2009 and the Kansas Jayhawks from 2012 to 2014. He also served as an offensive coordinator in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Jets, New England Patriots, and Kansas City Chiefs. Weis most recently hosted "Airing It Out," along with Bob Papa, on Sirius XM NFL Radio.
Richard James Watters is an American former professional football player who was a running back for the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). Watters played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, where he played wide receiver on the school's 1988 national champion team. He also won Super Bowl XXIX as a member of the 1994 49ers over the San Diego Chargers. Watters was known throughout his playing career for his outstanding receiving skills and his unique high-step running style, which earned him the nickname Ricky "Running" Watters, from ESPN sportscaster Chris Berman.
Jack Thomas Snow was an American professional football player who played wide receiver with the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL from 1965 to 1975. He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish from 1962 through 1964.
The 2006 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Charlie Weis and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. The team completed the season with a record of ten wins and three losses that culminated in a post-season appearance in the 2007 Sugar Bowl and a number 19 ranking in the nation.
Rodney Dwayne Culver was an American professional football player who was a running back for four seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Culver played in the NFL for the Indianapolis Colts and San Diego Chargers. Over his NFL career, he played in 43 games, rushed for 689 yards on 241 carries and ran for 12 touchdowns.
Tony Rice is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and World League of American Football (WLAF). Rice is perhaps best remembered as the dynamic option quarterback of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish's 1988 national championship team under coach Lou Holtz. Rice played professional football for three seasons for the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Barcelona Dragons of the World League from 1990 to 1992. He also played for Munich Thunder in the Football League of Europe in 1994.
Allen Jerome Pinkett is an American former professional football player who was a running back for six seasons with the Houston Oilers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Willie Bernard Jackson Jr. is an American former professional football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons and Washington Redskins. He played college football at the University of Florida. As a football coach, he was the wide receivers coach for the Orlando Apollos of the Alliance of American Football (AAF).
The 2008 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Charlie Weis and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. This was Weis's fourth season as Notre Dame's head coach, who entered the season with a 22–15 record, coming off a 3–9 season after posting back-to-back BCS seasons.
The 1988 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame during the 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Irish, coached by Lou Holtz, ended the season with 12 wins and no losses, winning the national championship. The Fighting Irish won the title by defeating the previously unbeaten and No. 3 ranked West Virginia Mountaineers in the Sunkist Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona, by a score of 34–21. The 1988 squad, one of 11 national title squads for the Irish, is considered to be one of the best undefeated teams in the history of college football. The Irish beat the teams which finished the season ranked #2, #4, #5, and #7 in the AP Poll. They also won 10 of 12 games by double digits. The 1988 squad is best remembered for its 31–30 upset of No. 1 ranked Miami, ending their 36-game regular season winning streak. The game is remembered to this day as one of the most memorable games in all of college football.
Golden Herman Tate III is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, earning unanimous All-American honors and winning the Fred Biletnikoff Award in 2009. Tate was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2010 NFL draft. He later played for the Detroit Lions, with whom he made a Pro Bowl appearance. He also played a season for the Philadelphia Eagles and two seasons for the New York Giants. After his football career, Tate played baseball as a center fielder for the Port Angeles Lefties of the West Coast League (WCL) in 2022 after not playing the sport since 2009.
The 2009 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Charlie Weis and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. Weis entered his fifth season as head coach with the expectation from the Notre Dame administration that his team would be in position to compete for a BCS Bowl berth. Notre Dame started the first part of the season 4–2, with close losses to Michigan and USC but ended the season with four straight losses, including a second loss to Navy in three years. Weis was fired as head coach the Monday after the Stanford loss at the end of the season. Although Notre Dame was bowl eligible with 6 wins, the University announced on December 4 that the Irish had chosen not to play in a bowl game. Irish athletic director Jack Swarbrick hired Cincinnati head coach Brian Kelly after a 10-day coaching search.
Michael Floyd Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish from 2008 to 2011, finishing with 271 catches for 3,686 yards and 37 touchdowns, all school records. He was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft, but was dismissed from the Cardinals during the 2016 season, after he was arrested on drinking and driving charges. He has also played for the New England Patriots, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Washington Redskins, and Baltimore Ravens.
Theo Riddick is a former American football running back of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Notre Dame and was selected by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round of the 2013 NFL draft. He has also played for the Denver Broncos.
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Calvin "C. J." Prosise Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the third round of the 2016 NFL draft. He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
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