Brooks Won Two Super Bowl Rings with San Francisco and Became a Texas A&M Hall of Famer
Chet Brooks, a former San Francisco 49ers defensive back and two-time Super Bowl champion, has died after a battle with cancer. He was 60, according to reporting by Newsweek.
Brooks’ name is tied to one of the defining moments of the 49ers’ dynasty era: an interception of Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway in Super Bowl XXIV, a game San Francisco won in a 55–6 rout on Jan. 28, 1990.
From Texas A&M Walk-On to NFL Starter
Before the NFL, Brooks built his reputation at Texas A&M, joining the program as a walk-on out of David W. Carter High School and developing into a four-year starter who lettered from 1984–87. He was later inducted into the Texas A&M Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011.
Newsweek reports Brooks is also credited with dubbing the Aggies’ defense the “Wrecking Crew,” a nickname that became part of the program’s identity.
A Short Career, A Lasting Impact
The 49ers selected Brooks in the 11th round of the 1988 NFL Draft (303rd overall). After appearing in 10 games as a rookie, he became the starting strong safety in 1989, starting 15 of 16 regular-season games on a defense that ranked among the league’s stingiest that year. Fans and players across the world are sharing how devastating of a loss Chet’s passing is.
His playing career ended after a severe injury during a game at Green Bay on Nov. 4, 1990. After retiring, Brooks returned to Texas and became known as a youth sports coach, and he was inducted into the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame in 2009.
