Derrick Brooks Quotations

We started an important streak, in my opinion. The first time we lost this season, we come back. In the past, one loss meant two, meant three, meant four. But today, from that standpoint, we took a huge step in bouncing back from a loss.

Watching those tapes told me I've still got a lot of work to do,

As an athlete you've got to watch your hydration and your nutrition, and use the right kinds of fuel to help you perform your best.

I always felt like I was challenged, I was never satisfied, and I looked forward to the challenge. From studying high school players to studying kids in college, I always studied the competition, at my position in particular, to make sure I set the standard.

You can pick any game and there are two or three plays that determine whether you win or lose, going either way. That's the beauty of the league, man. Every game counts, no matter who you're playing or what their record is.

Every rep that you take off, somebody else gets another look. That's just how I am. It's not a matter of being paranoid, it's a matter of being confident and not taking anything for granted.

Let's not be naive to the system. For the countless examples of people who have changed teams, there are countless of examples of people who haven't changed teams. Darrell Green finished his career with the Redskins and he always was one of the highest-paid cornerbacks in the league. Jackie Slater was always one of the highest-paid tackles in the league and he played his whole career with the Rams. Brett Favre got a $100-million contract a few years ago and they found a way to keep him, so it can be done. Is it important to me? Yes. Is it in my hands? No.

Simeon was very emotional stepping in that huddle.

Obviously, we wanted to play better than we played last week, come out of the gates a little faster. We had an opportunity to make some plays ... and we did.

Obviously, business decisions are made in this league. Losing the players we lost the last few years, I'm not going to tell you it didn't hurt because it did. It hurt to see you build something with someone and they're gone, not by their own will but by the will and the decisions made by others.

Obviously, business decisions are made in this league,

I was telling guys over there in the fourth quarter, we've got to hold on to get a win. We had some fun guys this year in the NFC, and I'm just glad I could be a part of it and help contribute to winning.

I would give up one thousand yards to get a win.

I feel grateful, to be honest with you. Thank God for the effort out there, on both sides of the ball. ... Thank God the replay official saw it as we did in our locker room and changed that call. Things like that go your way throughout a ballgame sometimes, and we've been pretty fortunate this year at the end of games to make plays to win games.

I feel grateful, to be honest with you, ... Thank God for the effort out there, on both sides of the ball. ... Thank God the replay official saw it as we did in our locker room and changed that call. Things like that go your way throughout a ballgame sometimes, and we've been pretty fortunate this year at the end of games to make plays to win games.

I feel real good about it. Maybe it's because it's a younger team that everyone thinks doesn't have a chance and they don't know any better. Maybe it's myself feeling the heat and knowing I've got to turn it up. I don't know what it is, but it has a better feel. We're not all looking for answers now. We're just lining up and trying to play football.

I expect him to have a career year,

For whatever reason, as a team, we haven't been able to get it done, ... It's one of the things we talked about in training camp, doing things that this franchise has never done before.

He does a great job of understanding how to motivate and how to speak to people. He takes that to another art form because he believes when he tells it.

We've got to re-establish our personality. That group I played with back then, you saw a personality. Guys trusting each other. Embarrassed if they didn't make it to the pile in time. Now it's time for a new personality to come along and get established.

He (Rice) was saying this is what we do -- close out games. We're not letting them in. That's the short version.

Going up in my collection with all my other stuff.

He's got to earn that nickname all over again now.

I agree with Pittman in terms of camaraderie. I said it earlier in the season, camaraderie is going to be responsible for a couple games a year. I can honestly say we hung in there and pulled out a couple of tough wins that had nothing to do with football. This team is a closer team.

It appears we got dominated. We're a defense, really as a team, that does not give up 34 points, and today we did. The most disappointing thing is we had a good week of practice, and today we didn't show up.

It could be a whole lot worse then where we are.

It could be a whole lot worse than where we're at. I'm going to do my best to get their heads back up and get ready for Washington.

It hurt to see you build something with someone and they're gone, not by their own will but by the will and the decisions made by others.

People are just now starting to notice Troy as a game-changer. From a standpoint of making plays, he's carried Pittsburgh to where they are today. He's got a unique style all his own, and I'm a fan of his hair. I like that flair he plays with.

Our field-goal team has really stepped up to the plate and answered all the criticism that they had. Closing out games, whether it's kicking offense or defense, that's something that we haven't done well in the past two seasons and that's something we've done well this year. Obviously, it's the difference in three or four wins.

Our fans are usually loud when the defense is on the field. I think from my standpoint, we respect that. So a lot of things we do we'll go off hand signals and wristbands when we're playing at home. Something we addressed this morning is our defensive communication. With the first home game, hopefully fans will come revved up. A young quarterback and an offense playing in our home is something you have got to account for.

It doesn't matter what has happened in the past four games,

We'd share a conversation, make sure he's OK. What with Tony being in Indianapolis, if he needed someone to talk to or just hang around, he had my phone number.

We have a good defensive team. You have a good group of guys who made the team defensively so I wasn't surprised we went out there and played well.

Usually, we have something bet on it. We usually have got to wear the other university's colors for about a week if your team loses.

We can still be that defense, if we work to get there.

You know they can do one of three things. Somebody has got to run it; somebody has got to block. Or they are both going out for a pass route. We have no idea with both of them in the backfield. And if that presents itself, you just have to read your keys.

You know they can do one of three things, ... Somebody has got to run it; somebody has got to block. Or they are both going out for a pass route. We have no idea with both of them in the backfield. And if that presents itself, you just have to read your keys.

We are in second place, one game back. But we're by no means out of it. I guess it's a little down because of the way we lost. It appears we got dominated. ... It could be a whole lot worse than where we are at.

We're not very difficult to figure out. I think sometimes less is better. We've thrown in a few new wrinkles, but very few. We're just going out and executing.

(We) still have a lot to accomplish. That's something to think about when the season is over.

To me, that's Hall of Fame, ... To know you had an impact on one person in this world. For them to give you so much credit when you hear young people tell you what you mean to their lives. That changed me as a person. Being around those kids at that young age helped me mature as a man. It kept me from all other distractions that could've knocked me off the path. They were saving me as much as I was saving them.

We wanted to stop Willis McGahee. If he's able to run the football, then that takes a lot of pressure off a young quarterback.

This was about helping the team and putting us in the position to keep a lot of our players here that we currently have and, at the same time, give us something to go get a player that we felt could help us win a Super Bowl. That's the way it's always been when I've done this, a two-way street.

Twice we've played him and he's hurt us for big runs.

We just played collectively as a unit. Everybody did their job and pitched in.

Don't get too excited! We got to go back out there!

Each guy has got to get his (meeting) room. That's where my leadership comes, (by) kind of stepping aside, and that way they take ownership. That's one of my better qualities.

I stand real humble. I've been here a few times, and I don't have many wins.

The style in which we won says a lot. The previous two games were blowouts, so the question was, 'Could we win a tough one?' Yeah, we can get in a fight, walk away with a few bruises and come away with a win.

As good as this feeling is we're looking to feel even better next week.

A lot of questions have to be answered,

They get beat up so much. I think these guys stepped up and played well with basically two rookies starting. These guys kept pounding and pounding.

They realize that we have a game-breaker back there not only in Cadillac but in (Michael) Pittman and they only need one crease and they could turn it into a touchdown,

It's just the first leg of the championship - division, conference and Super Bowl. As good as this feels, we're looking to feel even better next week.

It was a real big key in doing it. Do you want to stay, or do you want to go.

It's no secret. The spotlight is going to be on him. My advice is for him not to feel the pressure. He has 10 other guys he can lean on.

For anybody who thought I lost a step, I hope I showed them.

It's a very humbling experience. I'm just so thankful to be a part of three division championships in this franchise's history.

It's a very humbling experience. But we understand this is just one of the championships that we're after.

It's tough. You just never know which play is going to be the one that changes the ballgame.

Derrick Brooks? Derrick Brooks! What are you doing? I think ... he wanted to get a pick (because) he wanted to go back out,

You (trim) 25-30 yards a game just off of that.

Everyone feels the same way we feel, that their chances are just as good as ours. If everybody is not feeling that way in this locker room, I hope to have a conversation with them.

The big-play element is still there. Daunte made a lot of big plays not throwing to Randy.

It kind of reminds you of something we've seen on the other side of the ball. Back when we were building this franchise.

After that, I'm calling myself everything but a child of God,

Their running game has obviously picked up the last couple weeks. They're running strong right now and playing well on defense too. If you can run the ball and get turnovers you're tough and that's what they've been doing the fourth quarter of the season.

I refuse to let myself get comfortable. Some people may read this and say,

In this game there are so many rules favoring the offense. To see a little defense being played is a good thing.

I just had to smile at him. And he smiled back at me.

In years past, we have had a lot of turnovers and defensive scores. Last year, that part of our game was missing. We got our hands on a lot of balls. We caused way more fumbles that we didn't recover. The turnovers we got, we didn't turn them into touchdowns.

In 11 years, I've done it eight times. I believe in keeping a good team together. So far, if those conditions are the same, if it's a two-way street, then we'll do it.

I guess we're a little down because of the way we lost. It appears that we got dominated.

I plan on being here until they bury me at Raymond James Stadium.

Chris coming in, that's something he has to learn: Everyone is watching -- everyone. And I want them to watch me so everyone knows what everyone is doing and we all can succeed.

Hopefully he felt the love that I have for him and Lauren. He's doing the best he can under the circumstances. A lot of people have come to pay their respects because he's meant more to this community than just a football coach.

Hopefully, progress is being made. I don't think all these extensions would have come about if there wasn't progress.

If I get out of this element, I don't what will happen to me, ... This is what it is. I appreciate the leaks, I appreciate the walls that are caving in. I'm here, so I'm going to make the most of it.

I feel a lot more humility, a lot more togetherness this training camp. The fire is lit. ... That's something we lost the last two years,

I don't think Trent Green really ever saw me. Once I caught it, I was kind of cruising down, saw a cutback lane, and turned it on. I was very humbled and thankful to get into the end zone for a touchdown.

I couldn't beat myself up any more for not falling on that ball.

The ironic thing is that was the talk before we won the Super Bowl ... that this defense is not what it used to be. We stepped up and showed people they were wrong. The same little mumblings are starting to rumble now, and we're going to step up and show the world again.