Defensive end Michael Brockers is the only present member of the Detroit Lions' roster who is 30 or older.
Brockers, 31, is entering his 11th season in the NFL (his second with the Lions). He spent the first nine years of his career with the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams.
Since joining Detroit in 2021, the organization has added several young pieces to its defensive line, including this past April when it drafted both former Michigan EDGE Aidan Hutchinson (No. 2 overall) and ex-Kentucky EDGE Josh Paschal (No. 46 overall). Now, Brockers will be tasked with serving as a mentor for the rookie duo, a role which he first embraced while with the Rams.
"I became a leader kind of overnight with the Rams," Brockers told Tim Twentyman on the latest "Twentyman in the Huddle" podcast episode. "You know, I was seven years in, and it was new faces in the room. And they were like, 'Hey, you're the longest-tenured guy here.' So, I kind of had to embrace that and just let it happen organically."
Leading hasn't always come naturally for Brockers, however.
"When I first became a player in this league, I didn't see myself as a leader," he commented to Twentyman. "But, over the years, watching a lot of my mentors and guys that I looked up to, you just pick a little pieces up here and there, here and there, never be selfish. You know, always give back to the young guys, because you never know how it's going to help them."
Speaking of being a leader, Brockers is now also coaching his son's youth soccer team, an experience that has been satisfying for the NFL veteran.
"So, I'm coaching that soccer team, and it's 4-or-5-year-olds, and you just see the little things," Brockers said. "They don't know a lot, but just passing, passing to your other teammates. We practice on Wednesday. And, you see it happen in a game, and you get the biggest joy just from that. So, it definitely feels good when you mentor somebody, coach somebody, and they go out there and they have success."
The Lions are hoping that Brockers brings a solid amount of value on the field, as well, headed into the 2022 campaign.
In his first year in the Motor City, the 6-foot-5, 297-pounder played in 16 games, and recorded 52 total tackles, to go along with four tackles for loss, one QB hit and a lone sack.
Brockers believes that the addition of Hutchinson will open things up for him and the rest of the team's defensive line.
"He's (Hutchinson) doing a hell of a job," Brockers expressed. "He'll definitely open up a lot of more one-on-one opportunities, because he has a lot of juice, man. He has a lot of skillset on that edge. He can rush, he can go, he has a high motor. And you know, with a guy like that on your team, you know, the other teams are gonna, hey, we've got to chip this guy, we've got to put another guy on him. So, now I've got to find two guys to possibly block him, and that opens things up."
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