I was fortunate to acquire this game-used 2015 University of Minnesota football jersey of running back Shannon Brooks.

Brooks wore this jersey in every away game his freshman year, which included showdowns at Purdue, #16 Northwestern, #8 Iowa, and #1 Ohio State. He shined in the spotlight of those games, rushing for a total of 322 yards with 2 touchdowns, and he also threw a 42-yard touchdown pass on a trick play against Iowa.

Brooks’ football career - and life - have been a series of obstacles and perseverance. He graduated from high school a 3-star prospect, landed an offer with the Golden Gophers, and started putting together an impressive college career…then lost half his junior season to injury; nearly the entire following season to an ACL tear; got word that his mom fell into a coma and died; tore his other ACL in his first game back the following year; then suffered a third ACL tear a year later. Staring down a future without football, he impulsively jumped in front of a train, tried to avoid it when he realized he wanted to live, still got hit by the train, and lost his front teeth in the process.

As for that future without football? Well, he found a way into the CFL, Indoor Football League, and Arena League, the last of which he’s still active in today.

Shannon Brooks, the unbreakable man.

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Photomatches

10/3/15 at Northwestern

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10/10/15 at Purdue

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11/7/15 at Ohio State

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11/14/15 at Iowa

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