Athletes - Aaron Brooks

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	Athletes - Aaron Brooks

Aaron Lafette Brooks (born March 24, 1976 in Newport News, Virginia) is American football quarterback in the NFL, who currently plays for the Oakland Raiders. Brooks attended the University of Virginia. He is also the second cousin of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, and former Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick. He formerly played for the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints, where he rose to stardom.

NFL career

In his sixth season with New Orleans (2000-05), Brooks ranks second in club history in every major passing category - including yards (16,274), pass attempts (2,340), pass completions (1,323) and first with touchdowns (117) and with an 81.5 passer rating.

He has emerged as one of the NFL's top quarterbacks since 2001, with 98 touchdown tosses over that span and over 3,500 yards each season. Brooks has thrown for over 250 yards in a team-record 28 regular season games, and in 30 contests including the playoffs. In 2004, he completed 309-of-542 attempts for 3,810 yards, with 21 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. It was the fourth straight season in which he had over 20 touchdown passes and over 3,500 passing yards, with both streaks signifying the best in Saints record books. Even better than the beloved Archie Manning, who could do no wrong in anyone's eyes after participating on some of the worst teams in Saints history.

In New Orleans

In 2002 he lead the Saints to a 7-1 record before the team imploded the second half of the season. Since arriving in New Orleans, he has emerged as one of the NFL's leaders in game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime with 16 (behind only Tom Brady), including five in 2004. Brooks took over as the team leader in 2000 in relief of injured starter Jeff Blake in Week 11 (vs. Oakland, 11/19/00), started the following week and has taken every snap until the last month of the 2005 campaign, when he was benched. Brooks has played in 72 regular-season games with the Saints, including starting the last 69 contests. His 441 passing yards vs. Denver (12/3/00) is the highest single-game total in franchise history, and Brooks is also the only Saints quarterback to rush for over 100 yards in a contest (108 vs. San Francisco, 12/10/00). Last season vs. the Broncos (11/21/04), Brooks set club marks for attempts (60) and completions (34) in a contest.

Brooks has shown brilliance at times leading a team with an incompetent offensive line and no running game to the playoffs once and narrowly missing two other times. His decision making, showcased in an infamous backwards pass thrown to an offensive lineman in a 2004 loss in San Diego, has been the target of criticism from the New Orleans fans, and is the biggest reason he isn't mentioned with the upper echelon of quarterbacks in the NFL. His sunflower seed chewing and smiling after he threw interceptions never sat well with the fans.That smile never left his face as he lackidaisically sauntered back to the sidelines after throwing yet another interception.

In 2002, with the Saints at 9-4, their last three games were against the Minnesota Vikings, Cincinnati Bengals, and Carolina Panthers, all long since eliminated from playoff contention. With only one victory out of those three games required to reach the postseason, the Saints gave up a touchdown and two point conversion to lose at home to Minnesota, couldn't stop the 1-13 Bengals' running game led by fullback Nick Luchey, and fell flat on their face against Carolina, wasting their best defensive effort of the season (After giving up 20 or more points in each of their previous 15 games, the Saints only allowed 10) by only scoring two field goals at home in a 10-6 loss. Brooks was humiliated by the sellout crowd in the Louisiana Superdome that day, as they chanted "We Want Jake" (in reference to backup QB Jake Delhomme). To add salt to the wound, Delhomme signed with the Panthers in the offseason and led the team to the Super Bowl, coming up short to the New England Patriots.

On March 16, 2006, after sitting the last 5 or 6 full games of the season, he has been released by the Saints, after they signed former San Diego Chargers quarterback Drew Brees.. He ran in to too many problems while following a horrid regular season record of 3-13. The Saints finally decided to release him after seeing that he was not capable of running the offense, was not a great pocket passer, and could not keep his emotions on the field.

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Athletes - Aaron Brooks

NFL career

In New Orleans

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