Derrick Brooks Hall of Fame speech: LB thanks just about everybody

Derrick Brooks didn’t have to wait long to make it into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers great was officially inducted into the Hall on Saturday, and he gave his induction speech to a large crowd in Canton, OH.

Brooks’ speech was heavy on the thanks. He started out by saying he is “humble, to be among all this greatness.” He said that Saturday, after they unveiled his bust, that it was the “first time in my life I get a chance to sit back and enjoy some of the success of my individual career in the ultimate game.”

He said that there is now “no higher place to go,” and that he’d do everything he can to make the Hall of Fame better by being in it. After that, he thanked his family in so many words. He thanked his immediate family -- his wife and his kids -- and then started off with others, talking about his father “whipping” him into shape and thanking just about everybody else related to him. We’ve got video of that one below:

From there, he thanked a myriad of coaches from various levels of his career, from high school on up through the ranks. He thanked a coach who benched him in baseball at school, joking that the coach knew he was “the best player,” but that he needed to focus on football. He then thanked some people at FSU, including Mickey Andrews, the coach who recruited him and taught him “mental toughness,” according to Brooks.

Lee Roy Selmon, the first Tampa Bay Buccaneers Hall of Famer, also garnered thanks, along with Warren Sapp, Brooks’ teammate and the second player primarily from the organization to make it. From there, multiple other teammates were thanked, including the “right foot” of Martin Gramatica, Brian Kelly, Ronde Barber, John Lynch and Jeff Gooch, among others.

He said that patience, kindness, commitment and humility were all virtues he always took to heart. He finished by saying he will do his best to make the Hall of Fame better. Brooks was all smiles throughout his speech. He didn’t tear up, though he seemed to come close when he first mentioned his mother, who was one of the first people he thanked.

Brooks spent 14 seasons in the NFL, all with the Buccaneers. He’s got a Super Bowl ring from Super Bowl XXXVII, was named to 11 Pro Bowls (missing his first two years and 2007) and was named an All-Pro a total of nine times. His No. 55 jersey was retired by the Buccaneers, he earned NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2002 and is definitely one of the best to ever play the game.

In fact, Brooks made it look easy. Every single thing that was ever asked of him was made to look totally effortless, as evidenced by the slew of awards and the impressive statistics -- career numbers of 1,710 tackles, 13.5 sacks, 25 interceptions and seven touchdowns in 224 games.