He wanted to rip into somebody. Yeah, no one knew that until now but it happened in 2005. To me, is he a Hall of Famer? I broke down.". Dolphins reporter Hal Habib can be reached athhabib@pbpost.com and followed on Twitter@gunnerhal. 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. Lets just agree that it was a mutually beneficial arrangement for both parties. A lot of Hall of Fame voting can come down to statistics. That was tension. Mawae and Thomas, the great center and great linebacker, were rivals. 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. With Thomas leading the way with major contributions from Taylor obviously the Dolphins defense finished in the top 10 in fewest yards allowed an 1 on that list., He made everybody that played with him better. The same year Thomas had 162 tackles (13 for a loss), 3 passes defended, 4 forced fumbles, 1 interception and 2 sacks. The Dolphins already had veteran Jack Del Rio. Those children, his marriage, are his job. And I felt like they mishandled that part. NO. And I said, Oh, really? That was going to be my title for this piece. But the relationship didnt quite start out with such high appreciation. It represents all the great teammates I had. Saban eventually brought Thomas into his office and the two made peace. MIAMI Miami Dolphins great Jason Taylor and ex-wife Katina Taylor have agreed to dismiss a lawsuit she brought against him earlier this year to Katina was adamant she wanted Jason to come up with $3.4 million she claimed he still owed her in alimony. Because I am a Dolphin for life. I didnt know anything about football, Maritza says. I didnt like how he treated a couple of those guys, but he works in ways that no one gets too comfortable, too relaxed. So he must have been much better than Thomas who has waited until 2020 to be a finalist right? Just couldnt do it. The Bears that year were 11-5. But the Hall of Famer whom Thomas will forever be most associated with is defensive end Jason Taylor. I teach my kids to be grateful for everything they do and get. Thomas defensive partner and former brother-in-law, Jason Taylor, was elected a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2017. Start with the time Nick Saban wanted to trade Zach Thomas. The somber thoughts often drifted into Jason Taylor's mind as he friend and brother-in-law Zach Thomas. The battles were epic. 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. I get offered two scholarships, so I take one (to Texas Tech). 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. But on the first play of the second game, [Dallas] brought in a LB at fullback to take me on. And if it wasnt a lead draw, Id have been in trouble, but I hit it and made the tackle. Thomas was inducted in 2012 into the Dolphin Honor Roll along with Jason Taylor, the other half of the Dolphins' Thank you to all of my teammates. And Im right in front of my defense. And I said, No disrespect, but there are so many other guys who have already gone home. Thats humbling. But if I called out that one play in a game, hed be thinking I know whats coming the whole game. Thomas went to Dallas instead. For me, man, its always about respect. Former Miami Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas plays a pick-up game of soccer in Davie, Florida, Tuesday, January, 21, 2020. Here are the 17 linebackers drafted ahead of Hall of Famer Zach Thomas in 1996, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Obviously I think (know) that Zach Thomas should be in the Hall of Fame. Ninety-Nine Yards launched in 2018 and covers all aspects of the American football. Whatever Thomas said to Maritza that night neither really remembers and it doesnt matter because she didnt give him her number. During his induction speech he gave props to Thomas, who he faced 16 times during his 16-year NFL career. And out of those games and the each players competitive spirit was forged a mutual respect so strong that when Mawae was inducted into the Hall of Fame last year, he used his acceptance speech to state Thomas also belonged in the Hall. Former Miami Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas has been on the doorstep of the Pro Football Hall of Fame a couple of times but still hasnt gotten in. Thomas had not received much attention as a free agent before that visit. Couldnt believe it.. Its a blessing that he can do that.. And I just gave him one of these . Together, the duo shared a lot of love and an even bigger ego. Between 1996 & 2008 they won two division titles. 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. In 184 games Thomas had 1107 solo tackles (6.01 per game). At some point they need more, Grading the Miami Dolphins roster and what that might mean for 2021 regular season, Armando Salguero farewell: It was never about me, it was always for you. Taylor & Thomas. Thomas was bummed, as he usually was after a loss. (No, this isnt going to be a rip job on Cameron, whose 2007 team managed only one victory in 16 games). Columnist. 2021 Ninety-Nine Yards: American Football, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Why Zach Thomas belongs in the Hall of Fame. I was dead tired after running so far, Taylor said. The tough decisions are picking which real estate investment to try and what workout to do to keep trim. Starting middle linebacker? Dont let me down, Thomas said. 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. Your email address will not be published. And maybe I should have bit my tongue, but thats just not me.. Mawae, who has enormous hands, sent the Xerox to the Dolphins facility in Davie for personal delivery to Thomas. "You cant take me out.". He is adamant that Zach Thomas should be in the hall as well, as are most of Thomas former teammates. Now hes a big Dolphins fan, Maritza says of her father. To have played at Texas Tech and then be drafted by the Dolphins was the ultimate. Thats his goal right now and any goal he has he goes all the way. In 2005 Urlacher won the Defensive Player of the Year award. 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. He starts, Zach, Im trying to make a point to get it to the team, Thomas recalls. They would go on to have quite similar career numbers (more below) but one was feted much more than the other. But that simply wasnt possible. And even months later when they called to bring him back, Thomas was still not recovered. Thomas had to prove himself every step of the way, even as a linebacker at White Deer High in Pampa, Texas. But soon the games old stresses and retirements welcome peace will be locked in a standoff. I understood the whole business part of it. 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. Their 4-year-old daughter Sienna playfully climbs over the couple as they talk, while 10-year-old Christian and 8-year-old Valentina kick around a soccer ball on the putting-green-quality lawn nearby. 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. Ive been doubted my whole life and Ive used that. Wed go play other schools and our best dude (Zach) was better than their best dude by a lot and thats when we started to realize there was just something different about him, said Koby Abney, Thomas For me to sit here and say I deserve being in the Hall of Fame, thats just not me. But I definitely dont want to disrespect the game by thinking I deserve any of it. Jason Taylor is the Dolphins Hall of Fame defensive end and Zach Thomas is one of the 14 2020 Thomas, you see, kept notes that eventually grew into entire notebooks on teams and offensive coordinators. He recalls playing Hall of Fame running backs like Marshall Faulk and Curtis Martin and fondly speaks of his meetings against Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, which felt as much like a chess match as a football game. But for short yardage in previous years, Thomas noticed when Indy had two backs in, and the Y receiver flexed, the play was always a lead draw. And I said all these compliments about Kevin but I also said we have a nickname for him. Together, they formed the heart and soul of the Dolphins Recognised by his direct opponents. And two of his most decorated proteges, Bill Belichick in New England and Sean Payton in New Orleans, must have thought that a mistake because they tried to sign Thomas. Those five games I played that year were probably the best five games I put together, Thomas says. And for me, I pretty much used that as, well, Im different. Jenna and Zach married in 2021 and welcomed a baby boy together. Contribute Who is Katina Thomas dating? Thomas always prided himself in preparation. The work is dropping off and picking up the kids from school and deciding which life lesson to deliver on the drives back and forth. She is famous for sister of NFL player Zach Thomas. Thomas played only five games in that wasteland of a season. WebDefensive End Jason Taylor was selected in the third round, 73rd player overall, in the 1997 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. Well thats over now. But when Taylors choice was announced a few months back, it left more than a few wondering why he didnt pick Zach Thomas his former brother-in-law, close They brought me in and I had a 1-on-1 talk with Bill, Thomas says. Katina Taylor, Ex-Wife Of Former Dolphins Star Jason And .. So before the play, I see this and Peyton is calling signals, and I yell, Lead draw! Thomas says. And Nick asks, Whats that? And I said, Hes a cheap-shot Christian., And I explained with Kevin sitting there. I would always say no, but I said, Im coming with you. So we would have never met if Junior hadnt brought me out. He was the archetypal character that NFL commentators love to label a Bring his own lunch-pail to work guy. So for me, even in my early years, I knew every one of the 17 linebackers that went ahead of me. The honor comes in Thomas' fourth year as a Hall finalist. But as agent Drew Rosenhaus predicted to Thomas, if Belichick made him an offer, others would follow suit. I said, Hes the guy that will play hard to the whistle but hell be away from the play and hell cut you, youll blow your knee out, and as hes walking away, hell say, God bless you. . And they just beat us at home, Thomas laments. Were eating and Nick asks me what I think of Kevin, Thomas says. Im like, Yes, sir. . The somber thoughts often drifted into Jason Taylor's mind as he friend and brother-in-law Zach Thomas. He is an Associated Press All-Pro and awards voter. Thomas playing from 1996-2008 & Urlacher from 2000-2012. And one said, Thats my favorite player. Then theres the issue of the Dolphins during Thomas time there. Growing up in Texas, I dreamed of playing football at any level. 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. They were trying to get Javon Walker. The games been too good to me.. While Thomas said he would remain patient through the process, insisting the game didn't owe him anything, his fans voiced louder objections with each passing year, pointing out that many of his statistics surpassed those of linebackers already enshrined. Not even Johnson could have predicted the results. They're just delaying inevitable. The Chiefs cut him in training camp. That was him during with the Dolphins and one season with the Dallas Cowboys, investing 14 hours every day during football season, studying tape coaches didnt dig up, honing his body in ways few players tried (like hyperbaric chamber sessions and Botox treatments for concussions). If youre grading my play, I was figuring it out so it was hard to sit out. But Im not knocking Saban. Hence, it is unclear if the two are still But Katina sees a correlation between Isaiah and her brother, Zach Thomas. | NFL Draft 2023, Top 5 Quarterback Preview - 2023 NFL Draft | Draft Talk, Top 5 Tight Ends Preview - 2023 NFL Draft | Draft Talk, Top 5 Safety Preview - 2023 NFL Draft | Draft Talk, Top 5 Cornerback Preview - 2023 NFL Draft | Draft Talk, Top 5 Linebacker Preview - 2023 NFL Draft | Draft Talk, Top 5 OT Preview - 2023 NFL Draft | Draft Talk, Top 5 IOL Preview - 2023 NFL Draft | Draft Talk, Free Agency Highlights & Your Draft Questions Answered. Youre rebuilding. The following season the Dolphins had a new administration in charge again. I didnt know he was a starter. I got wind of it from a bunch of people because I knew everyone in the building, you know? Zach being Zach, its not going to disappear until after Aug. 5, when he unveils a bust that may as well have a grin. Here are the 17 linebackers drafted ahead of Hall of Famer Zach Thomas in 1996. 54 in Miami. Zach was there with offensive tackle Todd Wade. Traffic came to a real fast stop, Thomas says. And the truck behind us didnt even hit their brakes before they hit us. To go from being a fifth-round pick to football immortality? WebRelationships. The pressure now is getting Christian to his soccer practice and games on time. It gave me purpose, it gave me family, it gave me wealth. His development from a fifth-round draft choice to a perennial Pro Bowl selection to receiving the most prestigious honor this game has to offer is a testament to his ability as both a player and a student of the game. Jason Taylor deserved better. He played against the New England Patriots on October 21, 2007, and, yes, the Dolphins lost. But I used it all the time in Washington and I still I dont know what else they wanted. He was routinely putting in 150+ tackles per season at the height of his career. Both of them stand 5-foot-11, and both of them know what its like to be underrated. He has covered 25 Super Bowls, the NBA Finals, and the Olympics. Well he has 22 interceptions to his name whilst Zach has 17. 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. Zach Thomas & Jason Taylor have just been inducted into the Dolphins Honor Roll! And they decided it was time for Thomas and the Dolphins to go their separate ways. He pretty much said that any linebacker hed had, once they hit 35 it was downhill. Saying that would make me feel Im being ungrateful. Lastly, I want to thank the Dolphins fans. And Im a veteran, Im not part of their future. WebThere are a number of guys waiting to get in, so, he may not be a first ballot in 2017 due to the HoF back log of competition, but he will surely make it within the following year or The defensive duo combined for 13 Pro Bowl selections during their Im making my own hours. It certainly wasnt that way when Thomas and Saban were yelling at each other during a practice in the fall of 2005. Katina, 42, who happens to be the sister of former Taylor teammate Zach And, oh yes, the stories he authored are fascinating. This is Zach Thomas life now. They would go on to have quite similar career numbers (more below) but one was feted much more than the other. Now his former teammate Zach Thomas, who spent 11 seasons with the Dolphins It was indeed a dream come true. Maritza is listening to these stories with a smile. Taylor joined ESPN as a pro football analyst on June 6, 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. WebHe actually drafted and coached Zach, Jason Taylor, Sam Madison and Patrick Surtain during his tenure as Miamis head coach. I knew right then I was going to have issues when the symptoms kicked in.. The endless waves rolling in behind their beachfront home are a hypnotizing sound track in the background. So he did give me a 1-on-1 but they wouldnt allow me to meet with [reporters] at the facility. Not exactly setting the league alight. Zach Thomas has had no other relationships that we know of.. About. Should that reflect on Thomas? As great as he was on the field, he is even better as a family man and a role model. He pretty much told me, next time a coach is coaching you, you shut the [expletive] up. But somehow Urlacher was a first ballot Hall of Fame inductee and Thomas who retired earlier is still waiting to get into Canton. 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. Or he was my favorite player. . You never replace that, going back and forth with one of the best in the game.. Parcells cut Thomas. The problem is Thomas sustained multiple serious concussions that year. This undersized linebacker was chosen 154th overall in 1996 and coincidentally assigned jersey No. fl-miami-dolphins-1010B - Retired Miami Dolphins linebackers Jason Taylor, left, and Zach Thomas, right, entered the Dolphins Ring of Honor on Tuesday, October 9, 2012. The former NFL middle linebacker spent his career smack in the middle of chaos. Those past teams came to their regular seasons with plans more than hope. Saban was mortified. Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor will be there for you to meet. Hes covered Dolphins games in London, Berlin, Mexico City and Tokyo. His relationship with Zach Thomas, however, might be the one that made the deepest impact on Jason, both professionally and personally. Why Steve Hutchinson belongs in the Hall of Fame - Ninety-Nine Yards: American Football, Why Tony Boselli belongs in the Hall of Fame - Ninety-Nine Yards: American Football, 2023 Final NFL Mock Draft Live - Texans Pass On QB! I kind of wanted to be part of that, but when I thought about it, I knew that would let all my fans down. This time as one of the games all-time greats. Thomas talks about how much he loves Saban as a coach and greatly enjoyed playing in his defense. 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! I havent even thought that far up., The 17th LB in draft?Oops! Theyre the Patriots.. Yes, life has changed for Thomas since he stopped playing in 2009. Does he belong? shouldnt even be a question, the Miami Dolphins great deserves to be in, of that I am in no doubt. For a while Jason Taylor & Zach Thomas were the beating heart of the Dolphins D. Taylor was enshrined in Canton in 2017. His secret? But it was all love.. I had to do it off premises, saying good-bye. So now Im in his head. Anyway, I blitzed myself. Perhaps Urlacher was better at forcing turnovers? 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. On the other hand the former Bears player forced 11 fumbles as a player whilst Thomas forced 16. Thomas, who narrowly missed making the cut in 2020, becomes the 11th man whose career is primarily associated with the Dolphins to make the Hall. I look up and I could tell Peyton was wondering howd you know? , Peyton was the best in the business. I met her there and got her number this time. 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. Taylor was enshrined in 2017. But as the rest of the team was floundering, Thomas was flourishing, averaging more than 10 tackles per game and collecting tackles for loss, passes defensed, and quarterback hits. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. Theres no greater honor than to get that recognition from an opponent., Thomas later received an endorsement from another Hall of Famer Johnson who tweeted, He deserves to be in HOF!. Its important, Thomas says as he makes sure Sienna doesnt fall off a table. Not that he necessarily needed it, but Thomas Hall of Fame candidacy received a jump-start in 2019. Former Jets center Kevin Mawae took time during his Hall acceptance speech to say the one opponent who isnt in the Hall but needed to be was Thomas. It was a love Saban maybe didnt fully understand in the spring of 2006 when Mawae visited. Anything Zach does, hes going all the way, Maritza says. I love my Dolphins and you cant control what coaches want to do to turn a team around, but I thought it was mishandled.. But Johnson immediately knew he had something special in the new kid. So before every game I would tell the ref, This is the most holdingest center in the league. And he heard about it, and before the next game he sent me a Xerox copy of his hands.. He and Zach had significant cultural differences because Lozanos first home in the United States was in Queens, New York, and he was a New York Jets fan. Each of you made me a better player and are a big part of where I am today. And Miamis Pro Bowl linebacker and defensive leader found out about it. He also becomes the second linebacker chosen, joining the late Nick Buoniconti. It wasnt until months later when they ran into each other again in Fort Lauderdale that they clicked. But all that enjoyment didnt exactly bloom early in their relationship. Habib: Hall voters didn't 'rob' Dolphins' Zach Thomas. It was a joy to watch him play the game. Thomas, 49, will be inducted into the Hall in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 5. Your support means everything to me.. They say its 1/10th of 1 percent just to make it to the NFL. To where? And they told me it was to Green Bay. Who was around in your era and how do you compare to them? I told him, I dont think Im the right guy to try to make a point with. Im looking forward to celebrating this with all of you. These were guys that did a lot of the dirty work and I would go and clean up and Id get all the credit. 2000s All-decade team member and Hall of Fame inductee Kevin Mawae thinks it too. He was a sports enthusiast as a kid and Thomas friends noticed early on that he was a bit different than the other local youth. 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. Zach Thomas is holding his wife Maritzas hand as they sit in the gazebo by their pool. Then [Jason Taylor] jumps into it and everyones all wide-eyed getting into it back and forth.. That was him diagnosing plays before opponents ran them, fending off 300-pound centers before they slammed him, figuring the correct angles to ball carriers before they ran by him. I feel like Zachs focus now is being a great father and husband. When I look at back to being an 8-year-old kid starting football, I had big dreams and for it to play out like it has, Im grateful. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. Equal to his peers. So in 2009, Thomas signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. Thomas dated Maritza for two years and then proposed, but not before asking Guillermo for Maritzas hand in marriage. And while coaches prepared their defense by showing players clips of the opponents previous three games, Thomas would spend time alone going back years. As we can see they both forced a fairly even number of turnovers or turnover opportunities all told. The symptom lasted nearly a year. During his career he was often compared to Brian Urlacher as their time in the NFL overlapped. Maritza, of Colombian descent, went home to a family that was lukewarm on Thomas. Image from miamidolphins.com, Your email address will not be published. The Saints soon wanted Thomas, and in retrospect Thomas admits not going there is one of my few regrets.. That year he had 122 tackles, (17 for loss), 5 passes defended 1 forced fumble, no interceptions and 6 sacks. And soon, Saban came to love the player he initially wanted to trade so much so that the following offseason when the Dolphins were recruiting Pro Bowl center Kevin Mawae as an unrestricted free agent, Saban asked Thomas to accompany him to dinner with Mawae to convince the player to sign with Miami. But I used it all the time in Washington and I still got lost." That was stress so much of it that Thomas would get blisters on his lip from the pressure. I could never have accomplished this without your love and support. Coupled with the 2008 season spent with Dallas, Thomas finished his career with 1,734 tackles (74 for loss) and 20.5 sacks. 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. Taylor was no stranger to sacking the quarterback as When he arrived in Davie, Thomas goal was to make the roster through special teams. Zachs accomplishments on the field made him one of the greatest players in NFL history. Thomas jokingly countered hed wear No. And Im going to be here when you get here to work and Im going to be here when you leave. Seeing his bust in Canton will complete a storybook climb for Thomas, who arrived in South Florida with little fanfare. In NO way. NFL Draft Hub: Latest NFL Draft mock drafts, news, live picks, grades and analysis, Thomas' childhood:Dolphins legend Zach Thomas says handicap as preschooler instilled work ethic. Back then they were miking the refs and I didnt know about it, Thomas says. 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. That is the extent of the numbers the Dolphins have have taken out of use, officially.
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