Twenty years ago, Derrick Brooks was busting heads as an every-blade-of-grass Buccaneers linebacker. A legend who was the opposite of soft.
Nowadays, the Hall of Famer is the chief operating officer for University of South Florida athletics. No more media for Brooks, and Joe misses Brooks in that capacity. Brooks was no Mr. Entertainment in the media realm, but Joe wanted to hear what he had to say.
On Friday, Brooks took a brief break from his college gig to talk to The Jay Recher Podcast. And yes, a little Bucs talk was to be had.
“I think they have a chance to be deeper than they were in the past,” Brooks said about the 2026 Bucs defense.
“I definitely see a lot of athleticism in the defense; that hopefully will lead to more turnovers.”
As for the Bucs’ promising first- and second-round draft picks, Brooks cautioned that the rigors of an NFL season are much tougher than college.
Rookie inside linebacker Josiah Trotter, Brooks said, conjures memories of Bucs past. “Reminds me of a younger version of Lavonte [David] when he first started, and he seems to fit right in,” he said. “Again, the poise in the noise — [Trotter] definitely has that in his genes.”
Brooks likes the athleticism of Trotter but wants him to avoid pressure and focus on daily growth.
Brooks made no bold predictions for the Bucs. And yes, he still pays close attention to the Bucs and remains an NFL appeals officer for on-field conduct tied to suspensions, fines, etc. It’s a paid position funded by the league and the players union.