But Brooks never let his work consume him.
"It was interesting work and intellectually challenging, but is was never a passion," he says. "My work was never my avocation."
Brooks came back to the Episcopal church in 1976 when his daughter was old enough to go to Sunday School. He started teaching second graders at religious school around the same time.
Brooks thought his religious involvement would continue to be secondary to his business. Then he had lunch with his friend who was a priest.
"He asked me if I ever thought about being a priest. It was one of those very important conversations," Brooks says. "He turned on a light bulb."
Brooks says at first he told his friend he was satisfied just to give of his wealth. But the priest said "that wasn't the whole answer."
"After he said that, it took me about two seconds to say, 'you're right,'" Brooks says. "I wanted to give all of myself."
That night Brooks told his wife of his plans, and a week later he told the people at his firm. But this career change would have to wait, as Brooks had signed a contract weeks before which kept him at the business for seven more "slightly frustrating" years.
This fall, Brooks started his three year course at the Episcopal Divinity School on Brattle Street. He describes the curriculum there as "very challenging."
Brooks still walks through the Yard as often as he can. He says little has changed since he left 25 years ago.
"The students work harder than we did," Brooks mentioned as one of the few differences. "The kids are very career-oriented. They work harder and party less."
Brooks does not know whether he will be a teacher or have a pulpit when he graduates two years from now. But either way, he hopes to remain in Cambridge.
Brooks says he has not once regretted the decision to leave the business world.
"The amount of money I may have left on the table is pretty daunting," Brooks says. "But money wasn't really the issue. I don't miss my job at all."
Brooks admits that sometimes he wonders what might have happened if he took his chances with the Cowboys.
But he says he has "no regrets or second guesses."
"If I had done something different, maybe I'd be a car salesman in Dallas," he says.