Quad City Steamwheelers

Thurgood Brooks played football as a defensive back in High School at Rock Island High School and collegiately at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale (2 seasons) and William Penn University (1 season). Prior to graduating from Western Illinois University in Macomb, Thurgood served as a Recruiting Coordinator for the football team for 2 seasons. Thurgood has been a varsity football Assistant Coach at Rock Island High School for the past 8 years, currently serving as Defensive Coordinator and Secondary Coach. While coaching at Rock Island High School, he has served as the Defensive Backs Coach for 7 seasons, Wide Receivers Coach for 1 season and Special Teams Coordinator for 3 seasons while earning Assistant Coach of the Year honors twice, in 2019 and 2021 respectively.

Thurgood has was the DBs and pass game coach with the Steamwheelers in 2020, and served as the DBs coach during the 2023 season. During that season Thurgood coached All-IFL First Teamer Darreon Jackson.