Every game, don’t miss Barney Shynkaruk’s Behind the Face Mask, taking a closer look at your favourite Saskatchewan Roughriders.
This week, linebacker Antoine Brooks Jr.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Behind the Face Mask this week, Antoine Brooks Jr. How you doing, man? Who's Anton Brooks Sr.?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
Oh, my dad? That's crazy. My dad is actually coming next week. He's coming to the Hamilton game. He's driving up there with my brother. My brother kind of collapsed his lung and was in the hospital, so he can't fly.
So they planned a trip to come to Hamilton and come see me play. But Anton Brooks Sr., a dedicated guy. He dedicated his whole life to his kids.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Football guy?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
Football guy, for sure.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Player?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
Yeah. He played a lot. But honestly, I think after high school, he just enjoyed life and wanted to be with the family. He always told me I was a blessing to him because boys are different than girls.
He had my sister first, but my sister was a blessing. With me, he got more of a connection. I was his first boy, and he got to be around me more often than he was with my sister.
So what I say about my father is, he's pretty much me, man. Outgoing, very lively. He loved us. He really would come out here and have fun and talk to everybody.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Has he been to a game here?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
No, he ain't been here yet.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Not yet. First one?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
Him or Mom ain't been here yet. They ain't never been to Canada yet.
Yeah, I'm going to get him out there and try to get him out here this year. My brother's the only one that's been travelling all the time.
But Anton Brooks Sr., man, a good guy. Everybody's going to love him, and he's the biggest heart that we got in the DMV, for real.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Wow, wow, wow. Maryland Terrapins, right? The Turtle. Is that the best in college football as far as a nickname or a mascot? A Turtle.
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
I like Terps, man. I like the Terpin', the Terps, man. I like all that.
Barney Shynkaruk:
You ever touch a Turtle?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
I touched it all the time.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Yeah?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
I touched it before the game, yeah. They got a whole bunch of monuments of a Turtle, Testudo. His name is Testudo.
Yeah, that's his real name. But, you know, we Terpin'. Testudo always gets touched.
He's actually all over the campus, actually. Probably one of my favorite ones is probably in the kinesiology building. In the back, they got this little crystal one, a crystal Turtle with a whole bunch of colours on it.
I said, "Ooh, that thing's cool."
Barney Shynkaruk:
What did you take in school?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
Actually, family science. It was family science that's all dealing with kinesiology and kids and stuff like that. But me, I'm a kids person, and I just knew I could do anything with kids, even special ed.
You know, special needs and all that. That's all I love, man. Kids.
Barney Shynkaruk:
This high school story is something else, man. You were a QB, and you were damn good. But I know you don't want to talk about it.
Talk about the injury, because it's an ankle and a wrist. It almost sidelined your football career.
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
Yeah, honestly, the injury, it was the brand-new turf, playing against my nemesis. I'm going to say my nemesis. My school nemesis is two schools just right up the street.
So my nemesis was Wise, Wise High School, whatever the hell their school is. But look, that school right there, I had a lot of good games against that school. That game was just, you know, in God's way.
You know what I'm saying? It's all about God's plan, man. I feel like God knew I was about to go play four sports and then go play college football.
He already knew, man. I was about to go play baseball that same year, basketball. And then I was just adding baseball with my brother.
My brother's a baseball guy. He don't play basketball. Yeah, so my brother, I was going to play that third sport.
And then I was going to finish off with track, crossing field at the end before I left. The whole works. I was about to go get it in.
But, you know, God said, "Baby, sometimes it's time for you to rest." And I felt like that was a good thing. And plus, he got me through adversity that nobody can ever experience.
I broke my right wrist and ankle. It came out the bone a little bit, my right wrist.
Yeah, it came back. I would show you the ankle, but you don't want to see that.
Barney Shynkaruk:
It looks crazy. Yeah. So then, well, okay, first off, going back, are you guys an Orioles family then?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
No.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Oh, what's your baseball team?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
Capitals.
Barney Shynkaruk:
We're Washington Capitals, yeah.
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
We represent everything in the Washington area because we're Washington babies. Baltimore's more up the street, like 50 minutes.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Yeah, okay. You don't like going to Inner Harbor?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Baltimore Ravens is the third team we go to. We tip a Pittsburgh before Baltimore.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Ocean City, Maryland or Ocean City, New Jersey? Which one's better?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
I'm going to give it to New Jersey.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Jersey?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
I'm going to give it to New Jersey because Ocean City gets a little—it's really for the young guys.
You know, Ocean City is for the college and under.
Barney Shynkaruk:
I thought maybe back when you were in college.
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
No, I ain't crazy about it. I only did it one time. I only did that one time. I had fun. Look, I ain't really do too much, you know.
I just go see the beach. I actually walk on the front for real.
Barney Shynkaruk:
That's all it was. So high school and then, you know, because you're a stud quarterback, and then you're like, no, I'm going to stick to DB. But was there ever a thought to go to college and try QB?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
No, it wasn't ever trying to go back to QB because QB wasn't like the main stretch of my offence. I'm really like a running back-receiver.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Oh, yeah. Deebo Samuel type of guy.
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
And nobody actually—it wasn't even out yet. So I didn't really have nothing to do.
I honestly told my mom I wanted to quit football when I got hurt. So when I told her, she was just like, "Man, you don't got to play football." And that kind of rubbed me the wrong way.
So I went to the hospital, asked the doctor how long she'd give me to play, and she got me to play within six months, actually. So I just homeschooled for like the first three, and then I did my last three months of schooling in a regular school. And then I went to college, man.
I had fun. I enjoyed it. I missed a lot of senior year, but I think it's all about a part of the plan to make me here.
Barney Shynkaruk:
2020 NFL Draft, 198 to Pittsburgh. You signed the next day, I think I read. First thing you bought?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
First thing I bought?
Barney Shynkaruk:
With that signing money.
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
I didn't really—I kept it cordial. I didn't really buy too much. I actually got my mom into a new house, a better house, honestly.
I tried to get her into a house-house, but we wasn't qualified at that time. So I just got her into a little apartment townhouse, and then we're going to build off of there.
Barney Shynkaruk:
But this time, man, that was kind of—You didn't hang out with the boys maybe one night?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
No, no. I was doing okay, man. I was really just taking care of myself, preparing to try to actually live and stay in Pittsburgh.
So I had my player personnel help me out with my car situation so I could drive to work. So I bought a car.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Nice.
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
And that was probably it. And I bought a cheap one. I probably used one.
Barney Shynkaruk:
What kind?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
Just a BMW.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Oh, yeah. What number?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
Five.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Five Series? Okay, Five Series.
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
Yeah.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Do you get a Super Bowl ring when you're in Los Angeles?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
Yes, I do.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Where is that? Like, do you wear it ever?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
No, don't wear it. That thing's in the safe. Safe and sound with Grandma.
It cost too much money to be holding around on a finger. It's real big. It's about—
Barney Shynkaruk:
But true.
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
It's bigger than the Grey Cup ring, but it's just a little bit wider.
Barney Shynkaruk:
A little bit wider?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
Yeah, it's more of a circle. A Grey Cup, more of like a football version. But it is the same thing.
It's the same idea. It's kind of crazy that I got two of the same rings that pop open and look good.
Barney Shynkaruk:
All your NFL stints and going down there, is there a guy that you remember that was, you know, one of the A-list NFL guys that was super generous?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
All the time? Yeah, yeah. I don't lie.
It was all of them. I'm a very outgoing guy. So, like, I think my teammates, all the OGs and my teammates, saw me as having fun.
And, like, I'm putting fun before getting serious. And I got serious. And then I switched it, you know?
Even though they didn't have too much to worry about. They knew I was getting serious about the whole thing. But, I mean, I was always dancing on the field because I was proud that I was where I was at.
And then I think my favourite OGs—I'm going to call them OGs. So, when they do hit an interview, they get a little salty. But no, my favourite—my OGs, man, Joe Haden is my favourite one.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Yeah?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
All the time. He was probably in the top left.
Like, Joe Haden is a big bro. He's actually from the crib. So, yeah, he was just one of the first ones that did it.
And, you know, I watched him. I watched him growing up. And then, you know, I just followed his footsteps.
You know, that's really what it is. Terrell Edmunds, Minkah Fitzpatrick—he told me to playbook because I was his safety.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Wow.
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
True. Odell. Odell was when I was at L.A.
Odell. JuJu Hughes is one of my teammates now. Good teammates. You know, I had a lot of good teammates. Von Miller was cool.
I was always with Von. I was always with the stars, man. I just—because I knew, you know, at the end of the day, you don't know how long you'll be somewhere.
So, I just tried to enjoy every little minute and never got in trouble with it at the time.
Barney Shynkaruk:
What music are you listening to before the game?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
It just depends. It depends on where.
Honestly, it don't depend. I probably start off on game day, it's probably going to be R&B with Sade.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Okay.
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
Yeah, so some old school, probably some Sade.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Oh, okay.
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
Yeah, I love Sade. I love her so much. And then I probably kick it off with some—you know, because I give White Boy Wednesdays, I give them their props because, you know, I like the white boys. I got to listen to the white folks.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Yeah, yeah.
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
In the middle. Okay. Then right before the game, that's when all that thug stuff comes out.
But, you know, I can't be saying thug. But I got to say all the crazy stuff comes out.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Then I get all the cuss words. Any old-school stuff?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
Like old-school what?
Barney Shynkaruk:
Nuck If You Buck on there, for sure?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
Yeah, Nuck If You Buck on there, for sure.
Barney Shynkaruk:
How about some B.I.G., Tupac?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
Ooh, yeah, they always on there.
Barney Shynkaruk:
They always on there?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
Yeah, they always on there.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Can you play any instruments? Can you do any music?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
I ain't played instruments in a long time. The only instrument I played was the trombone, and I was actually okay.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Really? Trombone?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
Yeah, the trombone, yep. I used to actually get it, yep.
Barney Shynkaruk:
And these guys know that?
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
Nope. Nobody knows. Nobody knows.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Antoine Brooks Jr., Behind the Face Mask.
Antoine Brooks Jr.:
Man, I appreciate you, baby. Thank you. Thank you for having me, baby.
Barney Shynkaruk:
That was fun.
