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Brooks isn’t closing the NFL door entirely

Posted Sep 16, 2009 by Ira Kaufman

Updated Sep 16, 2009 at 04:12 PM

By IRA KAUFMAN
TAMPA—Derrick Brooks hasn’t necessarily turned in his football uniform for jacket and tie.

Brooks caught a flight up to Connecticut Wednesday to start his new gig as an NFL analyst for ESPN’s “First Take’’ morning show. Beginning tmorrow, Tampa Bay’s former perennial Pro Bowl LB will team with former teammate Lomas Brown to break down trends acrosss the league on Thursday and Friday mornings.

But make no mistake—Brooks still wants to play at age 36. And the structure of his agreement with ESPN makes it easy for Brooks to walk away from the microphone if the right team makes him the right offer.

Unlike Jon Gruden’s deal with ESPN, Brooks can easily break the contract and resume his playing career without severe penalties.

In the meantime, Brooks says he is looking forward to his new role as analyst at ESPN—which has become a haven for ex-Buccaneers like Gruden, Brown, Keyshawn Johnson, Trent Dilfer and Shaun King.