San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks believes he has done enough to earn a full-time position with his team, and he doesn’t intend to allow Aldon Smith or anyone else to steal his playing time.
Brooks started at outside linebacker on Sunday against the New York Giants, but he watched the second half from the bench. Aldon Smith returned from his suspension and rotated with Brooks in the second quarter. Rookie Aaron Lynch also got some playing time.
That apparently did not sit well with Brooks. According to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports, Brooks chose to bench himself in the second half rather than splitting time with Smith and Lynch. When asked after the game about Brooks’ second-half absence, head coach Jim Harbaugh chalked it up to “something we’re working through.”
“We need Ahmad Brooks to win a championship,” Harbaugh said. “I feel that wholeheartedly and have felt that way.”
Brooks is a nine-year veteran who obviously felt he earned his spot, but pulling yourself from a game when your team is fighting for a playoff spot seems incredibly immature. Harbaugh has reportedly had problems getting along with his players, and this could be yet another example of that.
