Derrick Brooks

Advisory Board Member

Mr. Derrick Brooks has significant experience as a business executive and as an investor in various start-ups, private equity, and lending opportunities. Derrick is the Executive Vice President of Corporate and Community Development of Vinik Sports Group since 2019.  Derrick currently serves on the Board of Directors of Kforce.  He previously served as the President of Tampa Bay Sports & Football Entertainment LLC and the owner of the Tampa Bay Storm Arena Football Team from 2011 to 2019. 

From 1995 to 2009, Derrick played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was a Super Bowl Champion and a nine time All-Pro.  In 2014, Derrick was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Derrick was the 2000 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award Winner.

• Derrick Brooks, a four-year letterman and three-time All-American choice at Florida State, was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the 28th overall pick of the 1995 NFL Draft. Brooks never missed a game during his 14-season career in which he established himself as the cornerstone for what was considered one of the NFL’s best defenses for a decade.
• Brooks was named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2002 when he again led Tampa Bay with 173 tackles, registered a career-high five interceptions (three of which were returned for TDs), 15 passes defensed, one fumble recovery, and one sack. He was a major contributor in the Bucs’ victory in Super Bowl XXXVII where he had three tackles and an interception returned 44 yards for a TD against the Oakland Raiders.
• Brooks was a six-time All-Pro choice, named All-NFC eight times, and selected to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2000s.

Derrick currently serves as an on-field appeals officer for the National Football League.  Derrick also served as an NFL analyst for ESPN from 2009 to 2011.

From 2006 to 2012, Derrick served as the Managing Member of Brooks 55 Labor Enterprises, L.L.C., a full-service temporary and direct hire staffing company that provided staffing, administrative solutions and on-time labor needs. 

Derrick has a long history of community and charitable leadership. Among his other activities and services, he is the President and Founder of the Derrick Brooks Charities, Inc. since 2003 and currently serves on the boards of the Brooks-DeBartolo Charities Inc. since 2006 and the Florida State Fair Authority since 2017.  Derrick’s many charitable activities have focused on assisting underprivileged members of society will also provide important perspective in the Firm’s efforts to maintain a strong foundation of diversity.

Derrick has also served as a member of the board of trustees of Florida State University, as well as on the boards of the Florida Department of Education Foundation, St. Leo’s University and the Florida Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness.

Derrick and his wife, Carol Brooks, have four children: Briana, Derrick Jr., Darius and Dania.