Keeping a Legend: Keith Brooking and Atlanta Facing Decision Time

The reputation of Atlanta sports is changing. With that, so are the faces that represent it.

Earlier this month we learned that longtime Brave and Atlanta resident John Smoltz is heading to Boston. It will be weird to see Smoltz in any other uniform mostly because for the last decade and a half he has portrayed the face of the franchise, along with Greg Maddox and the recently reacquainted Tom Glavine.

Now we are at a crossroads with yet another Atlanta sports legend: Keith Brooking of the Falcons, who has played out his entire football life in the state of Georgia—a true hometown hero, if you will.

A rookie in the '98 season—a year Falcons fans will forever remember as the first time the team went to the Super Bowl—Brooking has been the one constant for a franchise that has seen the ups of championship games and the downs of starting QBs going to prison.

Brooking has been to five Pro Bowls and is more than likely a Hall of Famer in many people’s eyes; his only knock may be playing for the Falcons (Tommy Nobis syndrome).

Last year, though, it was evident that his prime is past him, and it may be time to look forward to the future.

While yes, he played at his consistent pace and quietly made plays like usual, those of us who watch the games for all the little things saw a different Keith—a Keith that missed a lot of tackles and made unusual mental mistakes. None was more evident than falling for the pump fake in this year’s playoff game, which essentially wrapped up our season by giving Arizona the chance to run out the clock.

If he still wants to play, I do believe the Falcons have to at least give him a low budget competitive offer, but other than his leadership, I don’t think he has much to offer the team that a Channing Crowder or a Bart Scott can do for his same price tag from last year.

The alternative plan also is not so bad. Chris Lofton showed last year he has a knack for making big plays and will be a really good LB in the NFL for years to come.

Tampa Bay, faced with the same predicament, chose to release their future Hall of Fame LB Derrick Brooks. Though their decision seems a bit more peculiar, seeing as even this year he performed at a Pro Bowl level, they reasoned by saying it may be time for a change 

I as a Falcons fan am truly grateful to Keith for his years of dedication and the many sacrifices he has made. He has been the very definition of loyalty, a word seldom used in association with football players in the free agency era.

For that, I say thank you—but for now, at least on the field, it seems the Tides of Change are upon us.