Best of the Packers: Top 10 wide receivers since 1960
By Phil Watson
10. Robert Brooks (1992-98)
Robert Brooks was taken in the third round by the Green Bay Packers out of South Carolina in the 1992 NFL Draft and after making an early impact on special teams, he evolved as a receiver later in his career.
Brooks averaged 26.6 yards per kickoff return in 1993 and returned one for a touchdown and also averaged 8.8 yards on 67 career punt returns. He became a bigger part of the passing game in 1994, making 58 receptions.
But in 1995, he burst onto the scene with 102 receptions for 1,497 yards and 13 touchdowns, including just the eighth 99-yard touchdown reception in NFL history, recorded in a Monday night game at Chicago.
He sustained a serious knee injury midway through the 1996 season and did not play in the team’s Super Bowl run, but earned Comeback Player of the Year honors in 1997 when he posted 60 catches for 1,010 yards and seven scores.
A sore back limited Brooks to 12 games in 1998 and after making just 31 receptions that season, he opted to retire in August 1999.
He finished with 306 catches for 4,225 yards and 32 touchdowns in seven years with the Packers.
A brief comeback with the Denver Broncos in 2000 ended after four games.
Brooks was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 2007.
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