I was trying to get the call, Thomas says. Now Taylor hopes that his former teammate, Zach Thomas, gets the same good news on Saturday, when the remainder of the 2020 Hall class is determined. If it wasnt for Zach Thomas, I wouldnt be in the Hall of Fame, Taylor told me Wednesday at the Miami Beach Convention Center. And it was another reason to think he better do this somewhere different because there were so many other guys that he drafted that were just lazy that he needed to rip into and never did. Thats why hes a winner.. Required fields are marked *. He gets hired here and Im thinking Im ready to learn this new defense, a 3-4, and I guess he didnt think I fit the part, Thomas says. Each of you made me a better player and are a big part of where I am today. Armando Salguero has covered the Miami Dolphins and the NFL since 1990, so longer than many players on the current roster have been alive and since many coaches on the team were in middle school. Former Miami Dolphin, Zach Thomas introduced his teammate, Jason Taylor to his sister, Katina. She grew up in Texas with her brothers, Zach and Bart. Both Zach and Katina graduated from Texas Tech University, where she earned her degree in broadcast journalism. They played 18 games against one another when the Jets and Dolphins played. Your email address will not be published. I didnt know he was a starter. Back then they were miking the refs and I didnt know about it, Thomas says. I would always say no, but I said, Im coming with you. So we would have never met if Junior hadnt brought me out. I believe in that stuff. But I used it all the time in Washington and I still got lost." Or he was my favorite player. . Growing up in Texas, I dreamed of playing football at any level. What Happened to Zach Thomas and Where is He Now? Former Miami Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas is one of the most dangerous defensive players in league history. However, his body-rocking hits came at a price, and he dealt with numerous concussions throughout his 13-year NFL career. Coupled with the 2008 season spent with Dallas, Thomas finished his career with 1,734 tackles (74 for loss) and 20.5 sacks. It represents all the great teammates I had. But Johnson immediately knew he had something special in the new kid. There is only one thing left for the 7 time Pro Bowler, 5 time first team All-Pro, All Decade team member, 2 time NFL alumni linebacker of the year & Miami Dolphins All-Time leader in tackles made get him in the damn Hal of Fame, where he belongs! 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. That was tension. I love my Dolphins and you cant control what coaches want to do to turn a team around, but I thought it was mishandled.. Saban eventually brought Thomas into his office and the two made peace. Ninety-Nine Yards launched in 2018 and covers all aspects of the American football. Obviously I think (know) that Zach Thomas should be in the Hall of Fame. He wanted to rip into somebody. For me to sit here and say I deserve being in the Hall of Fame, thats just not me. But that simply wasnt possible. But the Hall of Famer whom Thomas will forever be most associated with is defensive end Jason Taylor. Those early mornings and late nights during the week were an investment so that the squatty guy who doesnt look like a football player could often perform better than anyone else on the field those three violent hours on game day. This is when Maritza and I were still dating and shes like, Were moving to Green Bay? And it didnt go through. Well he has 22 interceptions to his name whilst Zach has 17. My first year with the Jets before my first game we played against each other, (Coach) Bill Parcells told me in front of my entire team, If you dont block Thomas, we wont win the game, and for the next 16 matchups I never forgot that. Thomas said he was unaware the selection process had been completed until Johnson popped up at his house unannounced, wearing his own gold jacket, which could only mean good news. Im looking forward to celebrating this with all of you. Because while Thomas reaped rewards and perhaps soon the biggest individual honor from the game, he poured heart and soul into the sport and made it more interesting and exciting for all of us. Those children, his marriage, are his job. If youre grading my play, I was figuring it out so it was hard to sit out. Here are the 17 linebackers drafted ahead of Hall of Famer Zach Thomas in 1996, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. He was a 2016 APSE Top 3 columnist nationwide. The honor comes in Thomas' fourth year as a Hall finalist. An award Zach never received. Anything Zach does, hes going all the way, Maritza says. Thomas defensive partner and former brother-in-law, Jason Taylor, was elected a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2017. (No, this isnt going to be a rip job on Cameron, whose 2007 team managed only one victory in 16 games). Thats because while the rest of the country (and parts of the world) will be captivated by Super Bowl 54 on Feb. 2, Thomas will be more focused on Feb. 1, when he and 14 other finalists are considered for election into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. So I was getting a call from the sideline and another coach was trying to coach me on what I did wrong the play before. Thomas played only five games in that wasteland of a season. WebRelationships. Thomas knew he had another concussion. I guess when I came home and told my brothers, I said, This football player was asking for my number. And they asked, who and I told them Zach Thomas. They're just delaying inevitable. Theyre the Patriots.. I feel hes very unselfish because of all the things he could be doing, he chooses to be part of our lives and loves being at the kids sporting events and activities. Well thats over now. So for me, wow, man. Former Dolphins coach Jimmy Johnson will be his presenter. Recognised by his direct opponents. Just couldnt do it. To go from being a fifth-round pick to football immortality? Im like, Yes, sir. . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. With Thomas leading the way with major contributions from Taylor obviously the Dolphins defense finished in the top 10 in fewest yards allowed an Thomas playing from 1996-2008 & Urlacher from 2000-2012. Hence, it is unclear if the two are still About Katina Thomas is an American TV News. She was there with friends because it was ladies night. For a while Jason Taylor & Zach Thomas were the beating heart of the Dolphins D. Taylor was enshrined in Canton in 2017. I didnt like how he treated a couple of those guys, but he works in ways that no one gets too comfortable, too relaxed. Taylor was no stranger to sacking the quarterback as Thomas was inducted in 2012 into the Dolphin Honor Roll along with Jason Taylor, the other half of the Dolphins' dynamic defensive duo of the 2000s. Thomas talks about how much he loves Saban as a coach and greatly enjoyed playing in his defense. Opponent and team-mate are in agreement and that theme of being overlooked is there again. For me, man, its always about respect. Then [Jason Taylor] jumps into it and everyones all wide-eyed getting into it back and forth.. But I used it all the time in Washington and I still Then theres the issue of the Dolphins during Thomas time there. It would mean a lot because Im still that small-talent kid with big dreams that never could imagine it, Thomas said when he was a first-time finalist in 2020. So he wanted to trade me. Katina Taylor, Ex-Wife Of Former Dolphins Star Jason And .. Dolphins have a problem but not what you think, Dolphins at Bears quickie reaction: Defense outstanding, Tagovailoa a work in progress, Dolphins live practice blog: One key player dressed, others not. Those past teams came to their regular seasons with plans more than hope. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. "Im finally in, man," Thomas said. Dolphins reporter Hal Habib can be reached athhabib@pbpost.com and followed on Twitter@gunnerhal. Katina Thomas-Taylor sued him in 2017 because she claimed he fell short on his promise by $3.4 million. I got a laugh out of Bill Belichick, Thomas says. "Oh, man," Thomas said. Not even Johnson could have predicted the results. Together, they formed the heart and soul of the Dolphins defense from 1996-2007. Thats humbling, Thomas said. As I noted above this is about individual recognition and Zach Thomas deserves to be recongised as equal to his peers the ones regarded as Hall of Fame worthy from his era. And they just beat us at home, Thomas laments. And maybe I should have bit my tongue, but thats just not me.. Jason Taylor is the Dolphins Hall of Fame defensive end and Zach Thomas is one of the 14 2020 Two other numbers have been shadow retired, with Zach Thomas number 54 Ill be the first to admit that Urlacher outstrips Thomas in sacks by a factor of two to one but then Thomas was making far more tackles per game. Not exactly setting the league alight. And for me, I pretty much used that as, well, Im different. So [Saban] stopped practice and made a scene. We look forward to celebrating with him in Canton.. Zach was there with offensive tackle Todd Wade. It can also be about direct comparison. It was all just for motivation.. Thomas, 49, will be inducted into the Hall in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 5. I am not alone in that thinking. The tough decisions are picking which real estate investment to try and what workout to do to keep trim. Thomas was inducted in 2012 into the Dolphin Honor Roll along with Jason Taylor, the other half of the Dolphins' So he must have been much better than Thomas who has waited until 2020 to be a finalist right? So he told me he was going to bench me, or whatever. NO. To where? And they told me it was to Green Bay. WebHe actually drafted and coached Zach, Jason Taylor, Sam Madison and Patrick Surtain during his tenure as Miamis head coach. When asked about whether Thomas belonged in the Hall of Fame he had this to say, Theres a handful of guys that I played with that are elite status as far as players, people, competitors, teammates, and Zach Thomas is No. Zach and I always had a It wasnt until months later when they ran into each other again in Fort Lauderdale that they clicked. 54 in Miami. Equal to his peers. But the Hall of Famer whom Thomas will forever be most associated with is defensive end Jason Taylor. Yes, Zach got on one knee. She graduated Nova Southeastern University with a doctorate in Pharmacy degree but she never was a huge football fan, especially not in 2003 when she and Thomas met. 53 instead, which in New England belonged to former teammate and roommate Larry Izzo. Recently, there has been a shroud of mystery over the current status of Zachary Todd and Alexandra Terans relationship. Hes one of those guys that never got the respect he deserved, never got the attention he deserves. Katina Thomas boyfriend, And Miamis Pro Bowl linebacker and defensive leader found out about it. Thomas signed a one-year deal with the Cowboys in 2008 and owner Jerry Jones asked him to sign for another year when that season ended, but Thomas told him he needed to get back to a system he felt more familiar playing. Were in a practice and, you know we started the season [2-1], but then we lost a couple straight so he was upset, Thomas says. And it was something of a mistake because Wade Phillips was running a defense that was totally foreign to him. Thomas never played again, but he isnt sad and doesnt lament that ending. They say its 1/10th of 1 percent just to make it to the NFL. Thats humbling. Jimmy Johnson came to me and was like, Zach, were starting you. He has covered 25 Super Bowls, the NBA Finals, and the Olympics. On behalf of the entire Dolphins organization and our fans around the world, I want to congratulate Zach on his election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said. Here are the 17 linebackers drafted ahead of Hall of Famer Zach Thomas in 1996.