Brooks’ Feels No Nostalgia in His Return

SAN DIEGO —  Seven years ago, a young running back named James Brooks, who put smiles on the faces of Charger fans with his bold, powerful style, departed for the Cincinnati Bengals in a trade that brought bulky Pete Johnson to San Diego.

Johnson isn’t playing anymore. He hasn’t been for about five years. Brooks, 31, has been voted to the Pro Bowl three times.

Nice trade, no?

Sunday, Brooks made his first appearance at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium since that trade. He caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Boomer Esiason and rushed for 62 yards in the Bengals’ 21-16 victory over the Chargers.

For Brooks, this was nothing special. Just another game.

“That’s gone,” said Brooks of his days in San Diego. “It’s over with. That was a West Coast game we needed to win. That’s it.”

No sentiment? No “it’s great to be back and see the old stomping grounds again?”

“It feels good to win,” Brooks said.

That was it.

Besides, there isn’t anybody still on this Charger team that was here when Brooks was around. All that’s left are the fans.

“The fans here still remember me,” Brooks said. “That felt good.”

But he is now a Bengal, and that suits him fine.

“When you think about it,” he said, “good things have happened to me since I left.”