Keith Brooking to make return to the Georgia Dome
Denver linebacker Keith Brooking makes his first return to the Georgia Dome on Monday. (Associated Press)
FLOWERY BRANCH – Former Falcons stalwart Keith Brooking, now a member of the Denver Broncos, is set to make his return to the Georgia Dome on Monday.
In order to improve their depth on defense, the Broncos signed the former Falcons stalwart after training camp started in August.
Despite missing most of the preseason with a hamstring injury, the five-time Pro Bowler played on nine of Denver’s 81 defensive snaps (11%) in their 31-19 victory over Pittsburgh on Sunday.
After not being re-signed by the Falcons after the 2008 season, Brooking signed with the Dallas Cowboys. He spent the last three seasons wearing a star on his helmet.
Here’s a photo gallery of Brooking’s career with the Falcons.
The Broncos are playing Brooking, 36, at weakside linebacker and on special teams. He backed up Wesley Woodyard and played mostly in running situations.
In a 37-21 victory in Oct. of 2009, Cowboys linebacker Keith Brooking (51) cheers toward the Falcons bench after teammate Patrick Crayton scored a touchdown. The former Falcon had two tackles for the Cowboys. (Vernon Bryant, Dallas Morning News)
“The plan for (Brooking) was to spell a little bit,” Denver coach John Fox told the Denver Post. “We probably didn’t do a good job of spelling our three (linebackers.) They were up in the 70s as far as (play) totals. We’ll bring Danny Trevathan along as well as Keith Brooking, who didn’t get a lot of time on the field in the preseason.”
Brooking was a surprise roster pick because he didn’t play during the preseason.
“We’re going off reputation and the leadership that he can bring,” Broncos executive vice president John Elway told the Denver Post at the time.
Brooking was drafted out of Georgia Tech in 1998 and played with the Falcons until 2008.
Brooking is just part of Denver’s “Georgia Gang” that includes Woodyard (LaGrange native), cornerback Champ Bailey (Georgia), wide receiver Demaryius Thomas (Georgia Tech) and running back Knowshon Moreno (Georgia).
The Falcons current regime elected not to re-sign Brooking after the 2008 season and told him that “this is a young man’s game.”
After the Cowboys beat the Falcons in 2009, Brooking celebrated wildly.
It was understandable that Brooking was pumped for the Cowboys-Falcons game in October (which somewhat turned both teams’ seasons around — the Falcons’ in the wrong direction). It was somewhat comical — and certainly out of character — how he trash-talked his former team and mocked them during Dallas’s win. (He later apologized for the trash-talking. But when asked about taunting the team by flapping his arms like a bird during the game, he responded, “I ain’t apologizing to anybody.”)
Brooking should be forgiven for his actions. The Broncos should introduce him with the starting lineup so the local kid from Coweta County can get one last ovation at the Georgia Dome.
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110 comments Add your comment
Old Boy
September 12th, 2012
3:08 pm
Brooking should be included in the starting lineup so that we can pick up an extra 6 yards per carry to his side.
D'OH!
September 12th, 2012
3:27 pm
Brookings is still upset that UGA did not recruit him out of HS and his only offer was to tech. To add insult to injury this nerd was OH and FOUR against the Dawgs. Has not stopped crying since. Poor little tekie!
jeff
September 12th, 2012
3:30 pm
WHO CARES!!
Jamaaliver
September 12th, 2012
3:42 pm
Brooking got cut in 2008 by a different owner, diff GM, different Head Coach, different Def Coordinator than the ones that drafted him. There were no players or coaches from the group that drafted him in 1998.
He was cut at age 32 and told ‘This is a young man’s game.”
The team then proceeded to sign Mike Peterson, age 32, as a replacement.
His anger with the current Falcons regime is understandable.
Falcon4life
September 12th, 2012
3:44 pm
3rd and 16…….
old man
September 12th, 2012
3:49 pm
Play Antone Smith.
Jay
September 12th, 2012
3:50 pm
“Brooking should be forgiven”
Umm, no. Who are you to tell me how I *should* feel? He mocked us like a kid, forget him.
PMC
September 12th, 2012
3:53 pm
Maybe he would have felt better if they just said…. Keith, 3rd and 16 buddy. Good luck in the future.
It wasn’t that he was old. It was that he wasn’t good enough to make the team anymore.
FalconsFan
September 12th, 2012
3:59 pm
3rd and 16…. 3rd and 16… Brooking wasted the 2008 season on that one play.
Cejay
September 12th, 2012
4:06 pm
Welcome someone who mocked us and had no apology??…………….yeah, right
hmmmm
September 12th, 2012
4:06 pm
Looks like steroids have worn off on Brooking when comparing dallas photo and denver photo.
Bird Dawg Country
September 12th, 2012
4:11 pm
D-Led–was that you with Schultzie at the Dawgs game? Covering them also, now?
Didn’t recognize you without the bowtie in the picture in schultz’ game blog! Next time wear a red and black one. Covers the Falcons and Dawgs!
Nonfan
September 12th, 2012
4:16 pm
If Brooking had exhibited a littlel class in Oct. of 2009, there would be plenty of good feelings remaining for him in Atlanta, but that is not the case now. He came acoss as a classless bum in that game.
Diggity
September 12th, 2012
4:16 pm
I would call Brooking a total tool but tools are useful.
Tampa Gator is paranoid
September 12th, 2012
4:28 pm
How many Superbowls did Brooking win with Dallas? ZERO
mountain_jim
September 12th, 2012
4:31 pm
FalconsFan
September 12th, 2012
3:59 pm
3rd and 16…. 3rd and 16… Brooking wasted the 2008 season on that one play.
This is exactly right, and the ‘action’ that can never be forgiven by long-suffering (40 years here) Falcon fans.
Not as bad as the Superbowl-eve whoring of Eugene Robinson of course (another Denver connection)
cornjolio
September 12th, 2012
4:40 pm
Keith Brooking is totally classless and was an average player at best for the Falcons. You never heard his name called or saw him on any key plays.
Row 3
September 12th, 2012
4:57 pm
Forever known as 3rd and 16…Still hurts!
Row 3
September 12th, 2012
4:59 pm
Oh..I forgot. Also Highway 51
St Simons
September 12th, 2012
5:00 pm
please play him every play, and let us aim our offense, every play,
like every other nfl team did for 9 years.
man that was the funniest thing in the world. If you taped an old
falcons game and ran it fast forward, and watched doink doink doink
all the way down the field, right at him, then the late pile-jump
hilllarious
St Simons
September 12th, 2012
5:01 pm
instead of John
Keith 3:16 – somebody needs that sign monday
SirReal
September 12th, 2012
5:21 pm
Who cares about a guy who always was last to the pile. Brooking was always overrated. He cost us a huge game and we havent been able to get off the field on 3rd down ever since. He should have never played for Jessie Tuggle that year. The way the Smiths handled Tuggle was a disgrace. I dont care about good ol boy Brooking on the field. Dont know him as a person so it stops there.
rollo lawson
September 12th, 2012
5:34 pm
Ole Highway 56 has a new name, Heinz 57. Slow as ketchup. This dude is a joke. Please retire.
chc4
September 12th, 2012
6:14 pm
I will definitely be booing him.
Play Action
September 12th, 2012
6:26 pm
I hope he starts and we have 4th and long and we go for it and give him the play action. I hope he bites for old time sakes.
Play Action
September 12th, 2012
6:26 pm
I hope he starts and we have 4th and long and we go for it and give him the play action. I hope he bites for old time sakes.
hbcuclassics
September 12th, 2012
6:36 pm
Black College Power Poll
Week 2
1. Bethune
2. Norfolk State
3. Tennessee State
4. Alabama State
5. Alabama A&M
6. SC State
7. Winston Salem
8. Delaware State
9. Miles
10. Alcorn State
http://www.hbcuclassics.com
ken
September 12th, 2012
7:16 pm
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO what a scumbag Pile on Brooking. I cant remember any play he ever made that Means anything. I do remeber the playoff game where Brooking gibve up a 3rd and 32 pass for a 1st down. THE DA fell for the play fake!!!
Keith
September 12th, 2012
7:16 pm
PILE JUMPER!!!!!!!!! Perhaps he can mock the dirty bird again after his teammates make a play. Expect to see play, tackle by others, whistle, brooking arrive at play and jump in. Should entertain us until we go to Washington to play another long lost friend in Meangelo Hall.
Senior Falcon
September 12th, 2012
7:21 pm
I’m glad that K. Brooking is returning to the Dome as a Bronco. That means he is taking up a roster spot that might be somebody that is actually good.’
ken
September 12th, 2012
7:30 pm
I would love to see RB Turner run over this big mouth PUNK!!
Dmo
September 12th, 2012
7:34 pm
Brooking needs to know when to hang it up, let it go guy!
SirReal
September 12th, 2012
7:50 pm
He cant let it go…not with that foul play involving the whole million or two he is being investigated about. Transfering assets, that sort of thing can get you in hot water really fast…..
Rollo Lawson- Hienz 57? BRILLIANT!!!!!!LOL LOL
Sick & Tired Of Being Sick & Tired
September 12th, 2012
8:30 pm
Brooking has been a none factor for quite some time. When he got to Dallas he continued to be no more than a player who jumped on the pile after another player made the tackle.
Every time they’d show him in the middle of the pregame huddle in Dallas yelling he looked and sounded real stupid.
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September 12th, 2012
8:32 pm
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GT GRAD
September 12th, 2012
8:58 pm
People tha plan to boo Keith Brooking need to grow up.
Brooking was a very solid player and a stellar teammate for many many years when he was at Coweta County High School, GT and the Atlanta Falcons…….all in the great state of Georgia. He was obviously bothered and upset when the new Atlanta Falcons brass decided to part ways and he acted like a fool (WAY out of character for him based on his ~20 years of football in Georgia) during the Dallas vs. Atlanta game; however, he has always been an emotional player and he let the situation get out of control. Give him a break based on many many years of previous proof that he is a high character and solid football player/teammate!!!!
I hope Brooking plays great and I hope the Falcons win 45-0!
to real
September 12th, 2012
9:01 pm
Tha heck with brooking after dat 08 playoff lost placed @ his feet cuz dats wat we all remember and dat trash he spoke when he didnt even help tha cowboys win forget dat we own a beat down plus we all know spoon we give em a ear full
Charleston Jacket
September 12th, 2012
9:05 pm
KB gave many good years to the city including his college days. Most of the haters are mutt fans so what else would you expect from a bunch of perenial clowns.
Best wishes to KB and thanks for the great years. Falcon fan forever.
THWG
GT GRAD
September 12th, 2012
9:06 pm
“I do remeber the playoff game where Brooking gibve up a 3rd and 32 pass for a 1st down. THE DA fell for the play fake!!!” ……………… what a moronic & ignorant statement.
NFL Network spent an entire segment showing without any shadow of a doubt that Keith Brooking was in the correct position and the Atlanta Falcons Safety was out of postion on the play Ken has referenced…..the safety vacated the area and was not in position to pick-up the receiver coming out of Brooking’s zone. I will admit the replay looked bad on TV for ignorant/uninformed fans.
Boom Dizzle
September 12th, 2012
9:18 pm
If they were to introduce him, it’s going to get ugly QUICKLY……….Boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Big Crimson 75
September 12th, 2012
9:37 pm
If Brooking got the chance to re-play his antics from a few years ago — he would!!
No way he deserves a standing O.
The guy embarrassed the Falcons in that Dallas game & he’d do it again if given the opportunity.
Falcons Fan
September 12th, 2012
9:52 pm
PUNK ALERT!!!!
PILE JUMPER ALERT!
SCREW BROOKING!
Hobbler
September 12th, 2012
10:00 pm
So the game plan is easy. Throw quick passes in Pile Jumper’s area that he normally leaves vacant in order to be able to jump on the pile down field. He will have a loud mouth and be show boating and flapping arms again if they get ahead of us because he has no class. That’s why his jersey will never be retired in our house. Rise up.
Duante's Longest Dred
September 12th, 2012
10:01 pm
I’m from Jesse Tuggle’s hometown,and remember the best LB we ever had, #60 Tommy Nobis……Pile Jumper has always been overated cause he be from Senioa/Ga. Tech……..an average player at best……take it from a old man,who saw Nobis play his 1st NFL game……..this is a young man’s game……booooooooooo !!!
rollo lawson
September 12th, 2012
10:04 pm
The same people on this blog defending Heinz 57 are the same people that are defending the stupidity which is Mitt Romney. Talk about trying to put lipstick on a pig. Let it go GT Grad. Your hero is trash!
tech steaming pile
September 12th, 2012
10:12 pm
he is as he does — a punk–if only he got a god education
DR. FALCON
September 13th, 2012
12:07 am
KEITH BROOKING WAS A GREAT PLAYER, FOR THE FALCONS! LIKE ANY OTHER PLAYER, FATHER TIME HAS CAUGHT UP WITH HIM! ONE OF GA. TECH’S FINEST PLAYERS! FORMER TECH QB, IN THE EARLY ‘80′S, MIKE KELLEY, OT, DAVID LUTZ, EDDIE LEE IVORY AT RB, PAT SWILLING, CALVIN JOHNSON, ETC., ARE A FEW GA. TECH PLAYERS, THAT I CAN RECALL! OH, BY THE WAY, WHATEVER HAPPENED TO EX-TECH RB, ROBERT LAVETTE?
tbone
September 13th, 2012
12:20 am
3rd and 17. nuff said.
Lou Piniella's cap
September 13th, 2012
12:57 am
Even going back to his days at Tech, I had been a KB fan until he showed his @$$ when he left here. I lost every bit of respect I had for him after that. The playoff game a few years back where the Vikings just beat the brakes off him and the Cowboys is easily in the top 5 of most enjoyable games I’ve watched in the 5+ years.
Lou Piniella's cap
September 13th, 2012
12:59 am
Correction….change it to decade.