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Eagles guard Brandon Brooks is conquering his fear of failure | Bob Brookover

Brooks played brilliantly for the Eagles a year ago except for the two games he did not play because of an anxiety disorder. His problem was proof that big and tough NFL players are still human beings.

Big and bad, mean and strong, they are considered the beasts of the NFL. Offensive linemen are supposed to evoke fear, not succumb to it. At least that's the stereotype.

Here, for example, is part of coach Doug Pederson's description of Brandon Brooks in the Eagles media guide: "Big, strong, athletic, road grader-type, nasty mentality and demeanor. He's a guy that can get out on the perimeter and run. He's smart. He has all the things that you look for in a guard."

It makes the 6-foot-5, 335-pounder sound almost superhuman.

"Most of the time we get put on this pedestal of being the closest thing to modern-day gladiators," Brooks said after a recent Eagles offseason practice. "People think that physically, mentally, and emotionally that nothing should bother you.

"On top of that, because you're getting paid higher than the average person, a lot of people look at it and say, 'Well, if I was getting paid that, nothing would stop me.' That's bull, man. This is life. We're people. We go through stuff. We're human, and the best thing for me was to face this head on and battle through it."

"This" was the word Pederson used to describe Brooks' condition after the right guard could not take the field for the second time in three weeks last December because he became violently ill hours before a home game against Washington. The same thing had happened before a Nov. 28 game against Green Bay and a couple of times during his four seasons with Houston.

"He was there at the stadium ready to go when all this happened," Pederson said after the Washington game.

Brooks and the Eagles now know what "this" is. It's an anxiety condition fueled by Brooks' fear of failure.

"I started seeing a psychologist, which really helped me get down to the bottom of what was going on," Brooks said. "It made me realize that there was a reason I got this far, and I needed to understand that. When you get to this level, it does become more of a job than a game, I guess. But you still have to have fun with it. I can't look at it like life and death every play. Although you never want to get beat and you want to try to control every aspect of what's going on, it's just not going to happen."

Brooks' battle to conquer his fear has continued this offseason. He has continued to visit a psychologist.

"I go once a week," he said. "I've made progress, and I'm a lot more confident and happier as a player. I haven't had an episode this offseason, and I look forward to not having one during the season."

What's ironic about Brooks' fear is that he was terrific in his first season with the Eagles after signing a five-year deal worth $40 million as a free agent. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed just one sack last season. Carson Wentz was sacked eight times in the two games Brooks missed, which accounted for nearly a quarter of the 34 times the quarterback was sacked last season.

"After it happened for the second time last season, I started a routine before every drive," Brooks said. "I take a deep breath and then tell myself it's just a game and that I deserve to be here. And then at the very least I try to have fun."

Perhaps nobody has had more fun than Brooks this offseason. Near the end of last season, an invitation to the Lane-Goldberg wedding in Oxford, Ohio, arrived at the NovaCare Complex. Brooks did not know Geoffrey Lane or Marni Goldberg, but the groom was an Eagles fan and a graduate of Miami of Ohio University.

"I knew he grew up around this area and that he was an Eagles fan, and that was good enough for me," said Brooks, a four-year starter at Miami of Ohio.

Brooks' guest was his girlfriend, Shalise Lugo, a former softball pitcher at Miami of Ohio.

"She was down for it right away," Brooks said. "The wedding was in a church on campus. It was a beautiful service, and then we went to the reception, which was at the Oxford Community Arts Center. I had a drink, met the family, and took some pictures with the bride and groom."

More invitations have come since then, but Brooks has declined them all. His focus is again on being a body crasher and conquering the fear that confirmed he is human.

bbrookover@phillynews.com

@brookob