Brooks All Business Ahead of Matchup with Mentor

Middle linebacker Jordyn Brooks has been a steady presence for an inconsistent Miami Dolphins defense through 10 weeks. 

Now in his second season in Miami, Brooks leads the NFL with 105 tackles and has embraced a leadership role as one of the team’s six captains — but he didn’t just develop those traits on his own.

The Dolphins game against the Washington Commanders in Spain will mark a reunion with Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner, Brooks’ running mate during their time together with the Seattle Seahawks.

“I learned a lot just kind of observing him,” Brooks said Thursday in Madrid. “Watching how he prepares for a game. Kind of just how he holds himself as a man, I learned a lot from him, honestly. 

“I consider him a big brother, so it’s cool to still see him playing at a high level.”

Wagner, a six-time All-Pro linebacker, was named to the Pro Bowl every season he played alongside Brooks, who was drafted 27th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft. Now in his 14th season, he has started every game this year and shown little sign of slowing down, trailing Brooks by only six tackles for the league lead through 10 games. 

Miami has won two of its last three games but is four games under .500 after dropping six of its first seven to begin the year. Brooks has not only been a leader on the field, but he’s reportedly tried to limit off-the-field distractions, too. 

Running back De’Von Achane shared Thursday that Brooks removed a Pop-a-Shot from the team’s locker room after the 28-6 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 9. Brooks responded with “no comment” when asked about it. 

Brooks’ International Routine

Brooks is set to play in the first international game hosted by Spain, but he also led the Seahawks with 16 tackles (11 solo) in a 21-16 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Nov. 13, 2022 — the first NFL game hosted in Germany. 

Considering Brooks already has played abroad and is doing everything he can to keep teammates locked in, it shouldn’t be a surprise that he’s spending most of his time preparing for the Commanders rather than sightseeing.

“It’s been an adjustment just with the time shift and all that,” Brooks said of his time in Madrid. “It was hard to sleep on the plane, so the last couple of days have really just been trying to get rest whenever you can, honestly. As soon as meetings are over, I try to go up and get rest and try to do the same things that you do back home to take care of your body, whether that’s hot tub, cold tub, sauna, all those different things. 

“Lucky for us, the Dolphins provided that, so I’ve been trying to take advantage of all that, just keeping the body ready.”

Five countries outside the United States have hosted international games, and Spain will become the sixth on Sunday when the Dolphins play the Commanders at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, home of Real Madrid Fútbol Club.

“The most I know about Real Madrid is playing the soccer game FIFA,” Brooks said. “I play with Real Madrid a lot, and so that’s the most that I know, honestly. I know Real Madrid, the soccer team, has been pretty good over the years, but anything outside of that I don’t know too much.”