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East Coweta High
School will honor one of its favorite sons before the annual
Newnan-East Coweta football game, when the “35” jersey of Keith
Brooking will be permanently retired.
The ceremony to retire Brooking’s jersey will be held just prior
to kick-off at the Friday, November 7 game, which is being held
this year at East Coweta High’s Garland Shoemake Stadium.
Brooking, a 1994 East Coweta graduate, went on to star at
linebacker for the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets and then the
Atlanta Falcons, where he is currently playing in his 11th
NFL season with the team.
East Coweta Principal Rick Waggoner and Athletic Director Evan
Horton have been planning for weeks for the special occasion. An
overflow crowd is expected for the 17th meeting
between the rival Indians and Cougars. Game time is 7:30 p.m.
“This is something we are honored to be doing for Keith and his
family,” said Waggoner. “Keith’s success in high school, college
and in the NFL, along with his involvement in the local
community is impressive. We feel this is a much deserved honor.”
As part of the ceremony, Coweta County School Superintendent
Blake Bass and Waggoner will present Brooking with framed
photographs of his playing days at East Coweta and a framed
original jersey. A replica of his jersey will be unveiled and
will be permanently displayed inside Garland Shoemake Stadium.
Brooking’s accomplishments on the football field include being
named to five consecutive NFC Pro Bowls from 2001-2005. He was
the twelfth player selected overall in the 1998 NFL draft and
helped lead the Falcons to the Super Bowl his rookie season. At
Georgia Tech he started in 34 straight games and ended his
career as the leading tackler in school history with 467 career
stops. In high school he lettered three times for Coach Danny
Cronic while playing linebacker and tight end. His senior year
the Indians recorded the first win over rival Newnan, 17-0.
Off the field Brooking has given back through The Keith
Brooking Children's Foundation which serves foster children and
the agencies that assist and support them throughout metro
Atlanta. In addition he supports his alma mater by hosting the
Annual Keith Brooking Gridiron Club golf tournament each April
with proceeds going to the school’s football program.
General admission tickets for the East
Coweta-Newnan game will be available at both high schools
beginning Monday, Nov. 3 and are $7.00. Tickets may also be
purchased at the Redneck Gourmet locations in Senoia and Newnan.
Gates open at 5:00 p.m. For more information contact the East
Coweta athletic office at 770-254-2855.
Keith Brooking – Career Information
Atlanta Falcons
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Led the Falcons in total tackles (127) for the seventh
consecutive season in 2007.
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Only player on Atlanta's current roster that played for
the Falcons on the 1998 Super Bowl team after being drafted
seventh overall in the NFL draft by Coach Dan Reeves that same
year.
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Intense, throwback player who was named to five straight
Pro Bowls from 2001-2005. Only Claude Humphrey (1970-74) and
Mike Kenn (1980-84) had made five consecutive Pro Bowl
appearances in Falcons history.
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Switched from weakside linebacker to middle linebacker
with the retirement of LB Jessie Tuggle in 2001.
Georgia Tech
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Started 34 straight games to end his college career as he
led the team in tackles during his final three seasons at
Georgia Tech playing for Coach George O’Leary. Became the
leading tackler in school history with 467 career stops.
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Had two of the top tackle seasons in Georgia Tech history
with 147 and 146, respectively, as a junior and sophomore.
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Collected 131 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions,
three passes defensed, one fumble recovery and one blocked field
goal to lead Tech to a Bowl game as a senior. Voted a permanent
team captain by his teammates and a finalist for the Dick Butkus
Award.
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Top tackler in the ACC in 1995 after averaging 13.3 stops
a game and ranked second in the conference in 1996 with 13.4
tackles a game.
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Closed out collegiate career with 15 tackles and one
interception to help the Yellow Jackets defeat West Virginia in
the Carquest Bowl.
East Coweta
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Lettered 3 times for Coach Danny Cronic at East Coweta
High playing linebacker on defense and tight end on offense.
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Served as the team captain and co-team MVP his senior
year; in his career he totaled 250 tackles (including 150 solos)
and had 53 receptions for 622 yards with seven touchdowns from
his tight end position.
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His senior season the Indians went 8-2 during the regular
season including recording the school’s first ever win over
rival Newnan by a 17-0 score. That season Keith caught 28 passes
for 487 yards and five touchdowns and on defense recorded 62
solo tackles and 62 assists.
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Other senior year accolades included being named the
Coweta County Lineman of the Year by the Atlanta
Journal-Constitution; the team’s Scholar-Athlete Award winner
and was elected to play in the Georgia-Florida High School All
Star Game in Orlando, Florida.
Personal
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Founded The Keith Brooking Children's Foundation in 2003
to serve foster children and the agencies that assist and
support them throughout metro Atlanta.
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Has helped the Atlanta Community Food Bank raise funds
and collect food through the Player Performance Pledge. As the
official team spokesperson for the ACFB, Brooking coordinates
the Bird for a Bird turkey drive and prepares holiday meals with
other Atlanta celebrities during the Great Thanksgiving Dish.
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Named Falcons 2002 Man of the Year for his extensive
community involvement.
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Supports his high school by hosting the Annual Keith
Brooking East Coweta Gridiron Club golf tournament with proceeds
going to the school's football program. A plaque honoring the
annual 'Keith Brooking Most Dedicated Athlete Award' hangs in
the school's front lobby.
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Named to the Georgia Tech Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007.
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Boasts a big family fan base that includes mother, Brenda
Hembree, and father, Harvey Brooking. His father often travels
to road games to watch his son play. He has two brothers and a
sister.
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One of only a few NFL players to play his entire football
career in the same state (high school, college, pro).
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Favorite Falcons player growing up was LB Jessie Tuggle.
Received a framed autographed Tuggle jersey from his family as a
25th birthday present, which currently hangs in his game room.
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Born Keith Howard Brooking on October 30, 1975 in Senoia,
Georgia. He and his wife, Holly, live in Atlanta and have a son,
Logan and daughter, Juliette. |