Brandon Brooks Becomes Highest Paid Guard in NFL
Brandon Brooks is arguably the best right guard in the National Football League, consistently grading out week after week as the best by Pro Football Focus. Maybe the best guard period.
The Eagles certainly believe he is, and rewarded him with a four-year contract extension on Monday afternoon. The deal, which will take him into the 2024 season, will pay Brooks $30 million guaranteed and is worth $54.2 million.
That makes him the highest paid guard in the league.
Brooks, 30, came to the Eagles as a free agent from the Houston Texans in 2016, signing a five-year deal at that time. He will be 35 when his new deal expires.
Brooks put out a statement on Twitter.
It has already been quite a journey for the former third-round pick of the Texans out of Miami University of Ohio.
He has battled anxiety, to the point where he missed two games in his first season. Brooks spoke openly of his issue and brought awareness to others struggling with the disorder.
Since getting help through various forms of treatment, Brooks, who is 6-5, 335 pounds, has started 41 straight regular season games.
In May of 2018 he returned to his alma mater to deliver the commencement speech. His return came on the heels of him helping the Eagles win their first Super Bowl in franchise history and being named to the Pro Bowl.
“I am proud of a number of accomplishments I achieved this year – Pro Bowl, Super Bowl – but I am especially proud of defeating the anxiety that has affected me in the past,” said Brooks to the Miami (Ohio) Class of 2018. “Truth be told, I’m a little anxious, but I’ve learned through therapy to not worry or care about making a mistake. Why? Because the best thig about life is that it goes on.”
That Brooks has been able to make all nine starts this season was unthinkable when he left last year’s playoff game in New Orleans early with a torn Achilles, but he worked hard throughout his rehab and was able to return to the field in less than eight months. Not only did he battle his way back in an unusually short period of time give the nature of the injury for a large man, Brooks has continued to excel.
