TAMPA, Fla. -- Perhaps the greatest Tampa Bay Buccaneers player ever has a new, fitting title: First-ballot Hall of Famer.
On Saturday evening, former linebacker Derrick Brooks tweeted that he has been named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame:
Other members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2014 include Michael Strahan, Andre Reed, Walter Jones, Aeneas Williams, Claude Humphrey and Ray Guy.
Tony Dungy and John Lynch -- two others with significant Bucs ties -- were finalists but will not be enshrined.
Voting was held earlier in the day in New York City.
Many considered the 11-time Pro Bowl player a near-lock to receive the honor, and come Aug. 2, he will become the third Tampa Bay player to be enshrined the Canton, Ohio, following former defensive lineman Lee Roy Selmon (Class of 1995) and defensive tackle Warren Sapp (Class of 2013).
Brooks, 40, redefined his position. After being drafted 28th overall in 1995 from Florida State, he never missed a game in his 14-year career. He amassed 1,715 tackles, 25 interceptions and 13 ½ sacks. He was named an All-Pro nine times.
"This process is something that I thought about every now and again (and turned) to something I think about every day," Brooks told FOX Sports Florida in January. "That's just the human spirit."
Now, Brooks has been rewarded for his patience. To the surprise of few, one of the Bucs’ best has been named one of the NFL's greatest as well.
You can follow Andrew Astleford on Twitter @aastleford or email him at aastleford@gmail.com.
