-
Zach Thomas
Former pro-football player Zach Thomas from Pampa was officially inducted in the Pro-Football Hall of Fame.
Thomas played for Texas Tech and was drafted by the Miami Dolphins originally to play special teams but made his way into the linebacker position and played for that team from 1996 to 2007. He played for the Dallas Cowboys his final season in 2008. Overall, he played 13 seasons and 184 games. His first training camp was 27 years ago.
Thomas made an immediate impact with the Dolphins, intercepting three passes for 64 yards, one touchdown and 131 tackles, 49 assisted tackles and two sacks to earn the team’s MVP honors and was named AFC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1996. He led the Dolphins in tackles for 10 seasons, racked up 100 tackles in each of his first 11 seasons, amassed 22 tackles (14 solo) in the 2001 playoff game versus the Baltimore Ravens.
Additionally, Thomas set a Dolphin’s career record with four interceptions returned for touchdowns.
Other career stats include 17 interceptions for 170 yards; 20.5 sacks, had a 168 defensive starts; first player in team history to win Leadership Award three times; first-team All-Pro five times; second-team All-Pro twice and was voted to seven Pro Bowls.
A former defensive tackle teammate said that playing with Thomas was like taking your defensive coordinator on the field with you. He could make checks from seeing personnel come off the sideline.
Following the retirement of Dan Morino, Thomas was a part of the Dolphin defensive units that smothered opposing offenses.
Quarterback Tom Brady said the worst games in 2021 were against those early 2000s Dolphins teams.
Quarterback Peyton Manning said the most unnerving thing about playing the Dolphins was “Thomas calling out all your plays. He caused the most problems for me of any player I ever faced.”
Thomas waited for nine years after becoming eligible for the Hall of Fame and says he got there because he played for the wins. Not the accolades or fanfare – it was always about the wins.