by Chris Harry

Filed under: Buccaneers

Linebacker Derrick Brooks, the 11-time Pro Bowler and likely slam-dunk first-ballot Hall of Famer, officially announced his retirement Wednesday via his website, DerrickBrooks.TV.

“This is my official retirement announcement,” Brooks said in a short video posted on the site. “I simply want to say thank you to all of you fans that supported Derrick Brooks as well as the Buccaneers throughout my 14 years.”

Brooks played his entire 14-year NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and never missed a game, starting all but the first three of his team-record 224 games. He finished with 2,198 tackles, also a club mark. Brooks was voted the 2002 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and went on to lead the Bucs to the franchise’s only world championship, even returning an interception for a touchdown in Tampa Bay’s 48-21 blowout of the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII.

A news conference will be held at One Buc Place, the club’s headquarters, on Thursday.