Anthony Barr Father: Tony Brooks Career, Healthy Issues & Relationships

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Like father like son, the former football running back Tony Brooks is the father of outside linebacker Anthony Barr who plays for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL).

Anthony signed with the Cowboys on August 3, 2022.

His father, Tony, on the other hand, had a short-lived NFL career that lasted for just a year.

The fourth-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles, Tony appeared in only five games in the league, abruptly ending his career.

Tony Brooks For Philadelhpia Eagles 1992
Tony Brooks For Philadelphia Eagles 1992 (Source: Beckett Marketplace)

To fulfill his father’s fragmented football dreams, Anthony made his NFL debut with the Minnesota Vikings in 2014.

Aside from his father, Barr’s uncles Reggie Brooks and Cedric Figaro played in the NFL.

Stay tuned to learn more about the father-son life story, football careers, and other information.

But before going any further, check out the quick facts below.

Anthony Barr Father | Quick Facts

Birth Name Raymond Anthony Brooks
Known As Anthony Brooks
Date of Birth August 17, 1969
Birthplace Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States
Current Residence Cassopolis, Michigan, United States
Religion Catholic
Sexual Orientation Straight
Father Name Not Available
Mother Name  Michelle Adams
Gender Male
Age 55 Years Old
Profession Former NFL Player
Famous For  Father of NFL Antony Barr, Former NFL Player For Philadelphia Eagles
Nationality American
Education Booker T. Washington High School, Notre Dame
Height 6 ft. 0 in/1.83 m/183 cm
Weight 230 lbs./104 kg
Eye Color Black
Hair Color Black
Build Large
Marital Status Married
Wife Kelly Brooks
Partner Lori Barr (Anthony Barr’s Mother)
Children Anthony Barr
Siblings Reggie Brooks (Brother), Cedric Figaro
Zodiac Sign  Leo
Played For Philadelphia Eagles (1992-1993)
Position Running Back
NFL Stats As of 2022 Games Played- 5

Kick Return Yard- 11

NFL Draft 1992/Round: 4/Pick: 92
Roster Status Retired
Jersey Number 38
Net Worth Unknown
Anthony Barr Social Media Instagram, Twitter
Merch  Signed Football, Football Card
Last Update November 2024

Anthony Barr Father | Early Life & Body Measurements

Early Life

Tony Brooks was born Raymond Anthony Brooks on August 17, 1969, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States.

Not much is known about his childhood, parents, and early life. But it is known that he grew up along with his brother Reginald Arthur Brooks aka Reggie Brooks, a former football running back in the NFL.

Reggie played in the teams such as Washington Redskins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL and recorded 1,726 rushing yards and seven touchdowns throughout his NFL career.

Tony attended Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Following that, he attended the University of Notre Dame and played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Body Measurements

Born on 1969, Tony is 55 years old as of November 2024.

And as an August born, he falls under the Leo sun sign known for being confident, comfortable, and ambitious.

He stands 1.83 meters tall and weighs around 230 lbs.

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Anthony Barr Father | Career & Health Issues

As mentioned before, Tony played high school football at Booker T. Washington High School. After that, he played collegiate football for Notre Dame Fighting Irish at the University of Notre Dame.

During his college career, he led all Fighting Irish running backs in rushing during their last national championship in 1988. With 667 yards, Tony was the second-leading rusher.

Similarly, he rushed for 2,274 yards for Notre Dame from 1987-88 and 1990-91.

However, his best college season came in 1991, when he recorded 894 yards and an average of 6.1 yards per carry.

Tony Brooks
Tony Brooks (Source: Pioneer Press)

According to Tony’s Notre Dame teammate, Cedric Figaro, Tony was an aggressive player.

“He was a hard-nosed runner. He played smash-mouth football,” Cedric remembered.

After outstanding college football, Tony was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the 1992 NFL Draft.

However, he could not perform well in the league. Let’s just say his days as a star player ended with his college.

Brooks was with the Eagles for two seasons, but he did not have a single carry in the five games he played. He spend his time mostly on special teams.

Health Issues

Tony Brooks was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm on January 4, 2009. It happened when his son Anthony was midway through junior high.

After Tony felt some dizziness and pain, his wife Kelly-Brooks, a surgical RN, took him to the hospital, where it was revealed that he had been suffering from a brain aneurysm.

He is close to normal now but has been a long recovery after he initially had been in a medically induced coma for a month. Similarly, he was then hospitalized for rehabilitation for another month.

Poor Tony also has short-term memory problems.

He has an eight-inch scar from surgery that runs from the top of his head to behind his left ear.

Brooks has not been hampered physically, but his wife Kelly has said that her husband is a different person mentally than before.

Moreover, Kelly has stated that their finances have been difficult with Tony no longer working.

Tony never got to see Anthony play in person for UCLA because of financial constraints and having been unable to travel long distances.

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A Short Bio on Tony Brook’s Brother Reggie Brooks

Brother of the former NFL running back Tony Brooks, Reggie Brooks is also a former American football running back in the NFL.

Just like his brother Reggie went to Booker T. Washington High School, where he excelled in football.

Following high school graduation, he enrolled at the University of Notre Dame in 1989 and played running back for Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Reggie was drafted in the second round of the 1993 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins.

Reggie Brooks For Notre Dame
Reggie Brooks For Notre Dame (Source: One Foot Down)

His career did not pan out well, and he was out of the league by the end of the 1996 NFL season.

All in all, he recorded 1,726 rushing yards and seven touchdowns throughout his NFL career.

He spent three years with the Washington and one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

And even though he could not record any noteworthy stats, Reggie is known for his unconscious touchdown against the rival University of Michigan in 1992.

Reggie broke six Wolverines tackles after catching a pitched ball on an option right.

However, the last tackle knocked him unconscious before tripping across the goal line and crumpling face-first in the end zone.

A Short Bio On Anthony Barr

The son of Tony Brooks, Anthony Barr plays as an outside linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League.

Drafted by the Vikings in the 2014 NFL Draft, Barr played colligate football for UCLA from 2010 to 2013. He was picked ninth overall in the first round of the draft.

Born in Indiana and raised in Los Angeles, Barr attended Loyola High School in the Pico-Union neighborhood.

Vikings LB Anthony Barr
Vikings LB Anthony Barr (Source: Pro Football Rumors)

He signed a five-year extension with the Vikings in the spring of 2019.

After suffering a torn pectoral muscle in Week 2 of the 2020 season, he was placed on injured reserve on September 21, 2020.

Barr signed a one-year $2 million contract with the Cowboys on August 3, 2022.

Anthony Barr Father | Relationships & Marriage

Anthony Barr’s mother, Lori Barr, was in a relationship with Tony Brooks for three years in the early 1990s.

Tony was then completing an exceptional Notre Dame football career which would be a two-year NFL stop.

Anthony, their son, was born on March 18, 1992.

Anthony Barr With His Mother Lori Barr
Anthony Barr With His Mother Lori Barr (Source: Charity Matters)

Their love would not last long, and after the two broke up, Anthony’s mother, Lori, left the sister college of Notre Dame in the South Bend, Ind. area, St. Mary’s, to return to her native Los Angeles.

Tony later married Kelly Brooks, a nurse at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in South Bend.

As for Barr, she raised Anthony mostly as a single mother. Tony still visited his son, to see him become sporadic as the years passed.

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Father’s Son Relationship

Even though Anthony continued his father’s fragmented football dreams, they do not seem to have a close relationship.

It may be because Tony has never been a significant part of Anthony’s life.

Despite his father’s frequent visits, Barr was raised primarily by his single mother.

Also, Tony never saw Anthony play in person from 2010 to 2013 at UCLA, the time when Barr spent his first two years as a running back and final two at linebacker.

The only time when father-son met in person since Brook’s aneurysm was when Anthony suffered a broken leg at Loyola High School as a senior.

After that, they met when Anthony attended a game between Notre Dame and Washington in South Bend with his mother in October 2009.

Anthony Barr Father | Net Worth

Tony Brooks’ finances took a major hit after his health conditions worsened and he was out of work.

After that, he practically spent his time visiting hospitals and rehabilitation centers.

His finances worsened to the point where he was unable to afford the visit to his son and watch his matches.

And since his son Anthony is now a star NFL player, perhaps the conditions have improved.

As of November 2024, Anthony Barr’s net worth is a staggering $7 million.

Barr has garnered an astonishing fortune through his super-successful NFL career and brand deals.

On March 15, 2021, he signed a one-year $8.6 million restructured contract with Minnesota Vikings.

Similarly, on August 3, 2022, he signed a one-year $2 million contract with Dallas Cowboys.

According to the deal, Barr will earn $1.25 million in base salary this season, a $500,000 signing bonus, and a $250,000 roster bonus.

Social Media Presence

Tony Brooks does not have a verified social media handle, unlike his son.

On the other hand, Anthony has over 167k Instagram followers and over 105.7K Twitter followers.

 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

A post shared by Anthony Barr (@anthonybarr)

Looking at his social media handle, one can say that Anthony is living a dream. He mostly shares photos of himself in designer outfits, photos of his cars, vacations, and his games.

Popularity Graph

Tony Brooks Popularity
Tony Brooks’ Popularity Over the Past Twelve Months (Source: Google)

Unknown Facts

  • Anthony was fined $30,080 on October 2, 2018, for a face mask and horse collar penalties.
  • He suffered a hamstring injury on October 21, 2018, in a game against the New York Jets.
  • On July 30, 2020, Anthony was placed on the COVID-19 list and activated from the list four days later.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)

Does Anthony Barr support any charity?

Yes. Anthony Barr has been involved in several nonprofit foundations over the course of his career. As a matter of fact, he established “Raise the Barr,” a nonprofit initiative in 2016.

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Pranaya Poudel
Pranaya Poudelhttp://playersbio.com
Stargazer, & Rock n' Roller I Pranaya Poudel, am a content writer and editor for playersbio.com. Coffee lover and kind of a loner. Favorite Teams: Milwaukee Bucks (NBA), Kansas City Chiefs (NFL) Favorite Players: Giannis Antetokounmpo, James Harden & Patrick Mahomes FYI I believe in Alien!!!

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