Former Florida State star, NFL veteran accepts nearby High School Coaching Position

It can be hard for men who have spent their entire lives playing football from high school to college to the NFL to step away from the sport. A lot of them stick around to try and make an impact on the next generation of athletes while satisfying the competitive juices in the process.

Earlier this week, it was announced that former Florida State star and NFL veteran, Terrence Brooks, would be transitioning into coaching. His first job will be at the prep level with Niceville High School as Secondary Coach. The school is less than three hours from Tallahassee and the Seminoles signed four-star defensive back Azareye'h Thomas from Niceville as a member of their 2022 class.

BREAKING: Former @FSUFootball and @NFL star Terrence Brooks aka @_Showtime29 has joined the staff of @Niceville_FB. He will be coaching the Defensive Secondary! Welcome aboard! @FLCoachT @Coach_Norvell @SethSnwfdn @WEARDanShugart pic.twitter.com/qlsquwUMY5
— Niceville Football (@Niceville_FB) February 8, 2023

Following a standout career at Florida State, Brooks spent nearly a decade at the professional level with multiple franchises. He was drafted in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens, where he spent the first two years of his career. Brooks was with the Philadelphia Eagles for a season prior to a two-year stint with the New York Jets and New England Patriots. He was most recently a member of the Houston Texans, who released him in August ahead of the 2022 season.

Brooks spent the majority of his time as a reserve and as a special teams contributor. He finished his career with 123 tackles, two tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, 12 pass deflections, and four interceptions in 105 appearances, with six starts. His best season came in 2019 when Brooks recorded a career-high 24 tackles, three pass deflections, and an interception in 15 appearances with the Patriots.

The Florida native signed with the Seminoles as a three-star prospect out of high school. Brooks spent four years at Florida State, winning the final BCS National Championship in 2014 against Auburn in his last game with the program. He concluded his college career by being named a First-Team All-American and garnering All-ACC Honors.

During his time at Florida State, Brooks recorded 126 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, one sack, two forced fumbles, 11 pass deflections, and five interceptions. That included a career-high 56 tackles, eight tackles for loss, a sack, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles in 2013-14 while leading a dominant defense.

Niceville High School has been one of the most successful programs in the region over the last decade. The school has compiled a 30-5 record over the last three years, including a 9-2 mark in 2022.

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