When I woke up Friday morning, I had an alert on my phone from the NFL on 2023 Hall of Fame Inductees, and Zach Thomas was on the list. As a Miami Dolphins fan, I couldn’t have been happier for him. He was one of the leaders of the Dolphins’ defense from the late 1990s into the turn of the century. He wasn’t the biggest or fastest player in the world, but he was always around the football and made a play when the Dolphins needed it most.  

In 1996, Jimmy Johnson became the head coach, and that’s when I really started watching the NFL draft because that’s how he built the Dallas Cowboys dynasty of the early to mid-1990s. He drafted players and had an eye for talent, especially on the defensive side. Thomas was one of Johnson’s first picks in his first draft, and I didn’t know what to expect until the preseason of 1996.  

One afternoon in August, I got a phone call from a friend who told me the Dolphins cut Jack Del Rio, a veteran MLB. I said stop kidding with me, and he said turn on ESPN 2, so I did, and sure enough, the Dolphins cut Del Rio. I wondered why Johnson would cut a veteran in Del Rio who made a big play in the first preseason game. All I could think of was Zach Thomas, and sure enough, Johnson said it was a difficult decision, but Thomas had been making plays all of training camp.  

Johnson’s words came to fruition in the season opener against the New England Patriots. Thomas was all over the field with 18 tackles, one sack, and two forced fumbles. He made life miserable for Drew Bledsoe and Curtis Martin that day. In his first game against the Buffalo Bills, he intercepted Jim Kelly on his first pass attempt. Thomas made plays all season long during his rookie season, and you could find him where ever the ball was for a big hit or an interception for a game-changing touchdown, like the one against the Houston Oilers. Thomas’ rookie season was just a sample of things to come. 

What made Thomas great wasn’t his talent but his football intelligence. He studied and prepared for each game in a professional manner. He knew what the other team’s offense was going to do and knew where the ball was going. He also got help from his big defensive tackles, Tim Bowens and Daryl Gardener, clogging the interior of the line to allow Thomas to run free on those running plays, which Thomas credited those guys in the middle for helping him. Thomas was one of the leaders of the defense, and without him, the Dolphins wouldn’t have been as good on defense. 

This would have been Thomas’s last year of eligibility for the hall of fame, and after this year would have gone to the senior committee. The question is, why hasn’t he gotten in? Thomas was one of the best middle linebackers during his time in the league with Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher, both hall of famer. Is it because he didn’t win a Super Bowl? Urlacher didn’t win one. You shouldn’t be judged that way. You were either great at your position or not, and Thomas was. Many players haven’t won a Super Bowl, and it’s hard to do and takes more than one player. 

My fear this year was Thomas would get passed, and who knows if he would have been selected eventually. This is the year Don Coryell finally got selected, and he was considered the father of the passing game. The concepts from his passing game are still in the game today and have taken to a new level. The problem is he’s dead and can’t enjoy the recognition he deserves for his contributions to the game. The same goes for Cincinnati Bengals defensive back Ken Riley, who holds franchise and post-season records for interceptions, but he’s not around to get his recognition. Chuck Howley got voted in this year and is still around at age 86, but he has dementia, and I hope that he is able to enjoy the moment in August. The list can go on for players who made contributions to the game, who are no longer with us, and who didn’t get their due until they are gone. 

Fortunately, Thomas doesn’t have to worry about that anymore. As a Dolphins fan, this is going to be a treat and a day to celebrate Thomas’ accomplishments. We all should feel lucky to have watched him play. I know I do, and I hope the Dolphins are able to find another linebacker like him in my lifetime.Â