LSU Football: There is terrible news regarding Greg Brooks Jr.

Late last week, Brian Kelly announced that Greg Brooks Jr. would not play vs. Mississippi State. This morning, the Brooks family shared the reason why.

Greg Brooks remains sidelined because doctors discovered a brain tumor last week. According to a statement released by the Brooks family, doctors removed the mass during an emergency surgery. Results from a biopsy will determine if the tumor is cancerous.

"“Greg continues to fight and we await further clarity on the extent of that battle. His incredible strength of character gives us confidence, but we also know that he needs our support now more than ever. Please keep Greg and our family in your prayers.#PrayFor3”"

The Greg Brooks news is a heartbreaking reminder that there’s things much bigger than football.

Kelly didn’t disclose why Brooks was a late scratch in Week 3. He hinted at a ‘medical emergency’ to the media but refused to elaborate out of respect for the Brooks family. As such, we were unsure if the emergency regarded Brooks or a person close to him.

Unfortunately, we started to fear the worst after the LSU Football head coach dedicated the win over Mississippi State to Brooks. Nevertheless, we applaud Kelly for keeping Brooks’ situation close to the chest and enabled the family to tell the fans when the time was right.

Brooks emerged as a vital defender for Kelly’s defense after transferring from Arkansas ahead of the 2022 season. He was outstanding last year and earned preseason All-SEC team honors for 2023.

The Tigers coincidentally play Brooks’ former team, the Arkansas Razorbacks, on Saturday. We’re sure the mood will be somewhat damp on both sidelines as players think about their teammate and former teammate.

We send our thoughts and prayers to Greg Brooks and the Brooks family. We’re disappointed that football was taken away from him so suddenly, but we remain optimistic that the senior defensive back has not played his last down. #PrayFor3