LSU football announced on Wednesday afternoon that starting safety and team captain Greg Brooks Jr. has been diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a rare form of brain cancer.
“For the last three weeks, Greg has been recovering from an extensive surgery to remove a brain tumor that was located between his cerebellum and brain stem,” Catherine O’Neal, the chief medical officer at Our Lady of the Lake Health said in the statement. “Greg’s speech and ability to communicate has been impacted, and although he is responsive and working daily with physical therapy, he will face months of intensive rehabilitation. The surgery was successful in removing the tumor, and there is no evidence that the cancer has spread. As he begins rehab in the coming weeks, Greg’s family and care team will determine a treatment plan in collaboration with nationally recognized specialists in this specific form of brain cancer. He has a long journey ahead and will need the full support of our community behind him as he faces this battle.”
LSU coach Brian Kelly released a statement of his own on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday afternoon.
“Greg and his entire family and support system have been incredibly strong throughout all of this,” Kelly wrote. “Our program continues to pray and support Greg in his fight. We ask that you help the Brooks family and support the fund as he continues in the journey ahead.”
The fund that Kelly is referring to is The Greg Brooks Victory Fund, which the university announced as part of the release on Wednesday. Proceeds will help cover medical expenses for the family as Brooks continues his fight against brain cancer.
Brooks started 13 games last season for LSU after transferring from Arkansas. He was one of the key players in the Tigers’ secondary last season as LSU won the SEC West and played for a conference title. In 2022, Brooks recorded 66 total tackles and two interceptions.
Ahead of this season, Brooks was named a team captain and started LSU’s first two games of the year against Florida State and Grambling State. He recorded eight total tackles in the first two games.
