Zach Thomas
Encyclopedia
Zachary Michael Thomas (born September 1, 1973 in Pampa, Texas
) is a former American football
linebacker
. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins
in the fifth round of the 1996 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Texas Tech
.
Thomas played for the Dolphins his first 12 seasons in the NFL. He was selected to the Pro Bowl
eight times and recorded over 1,000 tackles. He has also played for the Dallas Cowboys
and Kansas City Chiefs
. Thomas signed a ceremonial one-day contract with the Miami Dolphins on May 20, 2010, and officially announced his retirement from football the same day.
until he was a sophomore then transferred to Pampa High School in Pampa, Texas
his junior year where he was named first team All-state as a senior.
, he was a three-year starter as linebacker. He was a finalist for the Butkus Award, was the Southwest Conference Defensive Player of the Year, and was a consensus All-America in his junior and senior years. He recorded 390 tackles, including a career-high 131 tackles and a school-record 20 tackles against Missouri
in his senior season. During the 1995
game against Texas A&M
, Thomas returned an interception to gain a 14–7 win for Tech.
Zach and his older brother Bart were the first pair of brothers to be named first team All Southwest Conference in the same year. The brothers also were high school teammates at White Deer High School in White Deer, Texas
; in 1988, Thomas' freshman year, the team went 16–0 and were class 1A state champs.
. On July 3, 1996, Thomas agreed to a three-year $577,000
deal with Miami.
He was a Pro Bowl alternate and an All-Rookie selection in 1996. In 1997 Thomas totaled 128 tackles while playing and starting 15 games. In 1998 Thomas made All-Pro for the first time, making 133 tackles, a sack, an interception and forcing a fumble as the Dolphins defense allowed the fewest points in the NFL.
On February 13, 1999, Thomas signed a five-year, $22.5 million contract (including a $4.5 million signing bonus) to remain with the Dolphins. Thomas' $6.5 million in salary and bonus made him the Dolphins highest paid player, surpassing Dan Marino. In 1999 Thomas had 133 tackles and was All-Pro for the second straight season. The following year he had 99 tackles due to missing 5 games. In 2001 he had 155 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 interceptions 2 forced fumbles and defensed four passes and was a First-team All-Pro for the third time. His numbers were similar in 2002 as he made All-Pro for the fourth time in five seasons.
Thomas signed a five-year, $33.75 million contract extension with the Miami Dolphins on March 27, 2003, that includes a $10.5 million signing bonus and was to extend through the 2008 season. Thomas was entering the last year of the five-year, $22.5 million contract he signed prior to the 1999 season. Thomas responded with 153 tackles and 3 interceptions and his fifth All-Pro selection in six years.
Thomas led the Dolphins in tackles with 165 in 2005 after missing two games with ankle and shoulder injuries; he is also one of three players to record one hundred or more tackles in each of his first ten seasons in the NFL. Thomas was selected to his seventh Pro Bowl appearance in 2006, tied for the third most Pro Bowl appearances in club history; this is also the most of such selections among all defensive players in Dolphins history. He has also been selected First- and Second-Team All-Pro seven times.
Zach Thomas has more tackles than any linebacker in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
, currently ranking fourth all-time behind Randy Gradishar
, Jessie Tuggle
and Junior Seau
.
Thomas' tenure with the Dolphins ended on February 14, 2008, when it was announced by the team that he no longer fit into their long term plans and his contract was terminated.
and New England Patriots
, Thomas decided to sign in principle with the Dallas Cowboys
to a one-year, $3 million contract. The deal included a $1 million base salary, a $1 million signing bonus and a $1 million incentive-based bonus based on playing time that agent Drew Rosenhaus
said should be easily attained.
on April 11, 2009. The one-year contract was worth $2 million. He was released at the end of the preseason after not playing in any exhibition games.
In addition to being a seven-time All-Pro selection by the Associated Press
and a seven-time Pro Bowl selection, Thomas earned the following awards and honors in his NFL career:
, Thomas' former teammate in Miami.
Thomas' father is the builder and proprietor of the second largest cross in the Western Hemisphere, located in Groom, Texas
. Thomas is married to Maritza Thomas. Thomas has one son Christian Zachary.
Pampa, Texas
Pampa is a city in Gray County, Texas, United States. The population was 17,887 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Gray County.Pampa is the principal city of the Pampa Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Gray and Roberts counties....
) is a former American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the fifth round of the 1996 NFL Draft
1996 NFL Draft
The 1996 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 20–21, 1996...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Texas Tech
Texas Tech Red Raiders football
Texas Tech Red Raiders football program is a college football team that represents Texas Tech University . The team competes, as a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
.
Thomas played for the Dolphins his first 12 seasons in the NFL. He was selected to the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
eight times and recorded over 1,000 tackles. He has also played for the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
and Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
. Thomas signed a ceremonial one-day contract with the Miami Dolphins on May 20, 2010, and officially announced his retirement from football the same day.
Early years
He attended White Deer Schools in White Deer, TexasWhite Deer, Texas
White Deer is a town in Carson County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,060 at the 2000 census. A July 1, 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 1,007. It is part of the Amarillo, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
until he was a sophomore then transferred to Pampa High School in Pampa, Texas
Pampa, Texas
Pampa is a city in Gray County, Texas, United States. The population was 17,887 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Gray County.Pampa is the principal city of the Pampa Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Gray and Roberts counties....
his junior year where he was named first team All-state as a senior.
College career
At Texas TechTexas Tech Red Raiders
The Texas Tech Red Raiders are the athletic teams that represent Texas Tech University . The women's basketball team uses the name Lady Raiders; however, the school's other women's teams use the "Red Raiders" name. The university's athletic program fields teams in 15 varsity sports and 30 club sports...
, he was a three-year starter as linebacker. He was a finalist for the Butkus Award, was the Southwest Conference Defensive Player of the Year, and was a consensus All-America in his junior and senior years. He recorded 390 tackles, including a career-high 131 tackles and a school-record 20 tackles against Missouri
Missouri Tigers
The Missouri Tigers athletics programs include the extramural and intramural sports teams of the University of Missouri, located in Columbia, Missouri, United States...
in his senior season. During the 1995
1995 in sports
1995 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Alberto Tomba, Italy** Women's overall season champion: Vreni Schneider, Switzerland-American football:...
game against Texas A&M
Texas A&M Aggies
Texas A&M Aggies refers to the students, graduates, and sports teams of Texas A&M University. The nickname "Aggie" is common at land-grant or "Ag" schools in many states. The teams compete in Division I of NCAA sports...
, Thomas returned an interception to gain a 14–7 win for Tech.
Zach and his older brother Bart were the first pair of brothers to be named first team All Southwest Conference in the same year. The brothers also were high school teammates at White Deer High School in White Deer, Texas
White Deer, Texas
White Deer is a town in Carson County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,060 at the 2000 census. A July 1, 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 1,007. It is part of the Amarillo, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
; in 1988, Thomas' freshman year, the team went 16–0 and were class 1A state champs.
College awards and honors
- Second-team Houston ChronicleHouston ChronicleThe Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
All-SWC (1993) - Second-team Houston PostHouston PostThe Houston Post was a newspaper that had its headquarters in Houston, Texas, United States. In 1995, the newspaper was absorbed into the Houston Chronicle.-History:The newspaper was established on February 19, 1880, by Gail Borden Johnson...
All-SWC (1993) - First-team UPIUnited Press InternationalUnited Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
All-AmericaAll-AmericaAn All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n (1994) - Second-team Football News All-American (1994)
- Second-team Sporting News All-American (1994)
- 2× SWC Defensive Player of the Year (1994, 1995)
- Consensus All-American (1995)
- First-team All-SWC (1995)
Professional career
Miami Dolphins
Thomas was drafted in the fifth round of the 1996 NFL Draft1996 NFL Draft
The 1996 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 20–21, 1996...
. On July 3, 1996, Thomas agreed to a three-year $577,000
deal with Miami.
He was a Pro Bowl alternate and an All-Rookie selection in 1996. In 1997 Thomas totaled 128 tackles while playing and starting 15 games. In 1998 Thomas made All-Pro for the first time, making 133 tackles, a sack, an interception and forcing a fumble as the Dolphins defense allowed the fewest points in the NFL.
On February 13, 1999, Thomas signed a five-year, $22.5 million contract (including a $4.5 million signing bonus) to remain with the Dolphins. Thomas' $6.5 million in salary and bonus made him the Dolphins highest paid player, surpassing Dan Marino. In 1999 Thomas had 133 tackles and was All-Pro for the second straight season. The following year he had 99 tackles due to missing 5 games. In 2001 he had 155 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 interceptions 2 forced fumbles and defensed four passes and was a First-team All-Pro for the third time. His numbers were similar in 2002 as he made All-Pro for the fourth time in five seasons.
Thomas signed a five-year, $33.75 million contract extension with the Miami Dolphins on March 27, 2003, that includes a $10.5 million signing bonus and was to extend through the 2008 season. Thomas was entering the last year of the five-year, $22.5 million contract he signed prior to the 1999 season. Thomas responded with 153 tackles and 3 interceptions and his fifth All-Pro selection in six years.
Thomas led the Dolphins in tackles with 165 in 2005 after missing two games with ankle and shoulder injuries; he is also one of three players to record one hundred or more tackles in each of his first ten seasons in the NFL. Thomas was selected to his seventh Pro Bowl appearance in 2006, tied for the third most Pro Bowl appearances in club history; this is also the most of such selections among all defensive players in Dolphins history. He has also been selected First- and Second-Team All-Pro seven times.
Zach Thomas has more tackles than any linebacker in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
, currently ranking fourth all-time behind Randy Gradishar
Randy Gradishar
Randy Charles Gradishar is a former college and professional American football linebacker who played in the 1970s and 1980s. Randy Gradishar is currently the Director of Corporate Communications for the Phil Long Dealerships in Colorado...
, Jessie Tuggle
Jessie Tuggle
Jessie Floyd Tuggle is a former professional American football linebacker who played for the Atlanta Falcons his entire career from 1987 to 2000. He graduated from Valdosta State College in Valdosta, Georgia...
and Junior Seau
Junior Seau
Tiaina Baul "Junior" Seau is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted fifth overall by the San Diego Chargers during the 1990 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Southern California and was the progenitor of the "NFL-USC linebacker".A ten-time All-Pro and...
.
Thomas' tenure with the Dolphins ended on February 14, 2008, when it was announced by the team that he no longer fit into their long term plans and his contract was terminated.
Dallas Cowboys
On February 23, 2008 after contract offers from the New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
and New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
, Thomas decided to sign in principle with the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
to a one-year, $3 million contract. The deal included a $1 million base salary, a $1 million signing bonus and a $1 million incentive-based bonus based on playing time that agent Drew Rosenhaus
Drew Rosenhaus
Drew Rosenhaus is an American sports agent who represents professional football players. He owns the Miami-based sports agency, Rosenhaus Sports, and is known for using aggressive tactics on behalf of his clients who play in the National Football League.Rosenhaus currently represents approximately...
said should be easily attained.
Kansas City Chiefs
An unrestricted free agent in the 2009 offseason, Thomas agreed to terms with the Kansas City ChiefsKansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
on April 11, 2009. The one-year contract was worth $2 million. He was released at the end of the preseason after not playing in any exhibition games.
Retirement
On May 18, 2010 Thomas signed a one-day contract, officially worth $1 to retire as a Dolphin.Awards and honors
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
and a seven-time Pro Bowl selection, Thomas earned the following awards and honors in his NFL career:
- NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month (October 1996)
- All-Rookie selection by College & Pro Football Newsweekly, The Football News, Pro Football WeeklyPro Football WeeklyPro Football Weekly is an American sports magazine, founded in 1967, that covers the National Football League...
and Pro Football Writers of America (1996) - AFCAmerican Football ConferenceThe American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
Defensive Rookie of the Year (1996) - Dolphins' 1996 Unsung Hero Award as selected by NFLPA
- Dolphins MVP and Newcomer of the Year by South Florida media (1996)
- AFC Defensive Player of the Month (September 1998)
- 2× NFL Alumni Association's Linebacker of the Year (1998, 2006)
- First-team All-Pro selection by the USA TodayUSA TodayUSA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, College & Pro Football Newsweekly and Football DigestFootball DigestFootball Digest was a sports magazine for fans interested in professional American football, with in-depth coverage of the National Football League...
(1998) - 1998 All-MaddenJohn Madden (American football)John Earl Madden is a former American professional football player in the National Football League, a former Super Bowl-winning head coach with the Oakland Raiders in the American Football League and later the NFL, and a former color commentator for NFL telecasts. In 2006, he was inducted into...
Team (1998) - 3× Dolphins' Leadership Award (1998, 1999, 2005)
- Weeks 1 & 16 2001 AFC Defensive Player of the Week (2001)
- Dolphins MVP by South Florida media and fans (2001)
- All-Iron Team as selected by CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
analyst Phil SimmsPhil SimmsPhillip Martin "Phil" Simms is a former American football quarterback, and currently a television sportscaster for the CBS network. After a standout career at Morehead State University, Simms was drafted in the first round by the New York Giants of the National Football League with the number...
(2001) - PFWA Dolphins Chapter "Good Guy" Award (2001)
- First-team Pro Football Weekly All-AFC (2002)
- First-team Sports IllustratedSports IllustratedSports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
All-Pro (2003) - Second-team Football Digest All-Pro (2003)
- Week 14 AFC Defensive Player of the Week (2005)
- All-AFC selection by Pro Football Weekly and the Pro Football Writers of America (2006)
- More tackles than any linebacker currently in the Hall of Fame
Personal
Thomas' sister Katina is married to Jason TaylorJason Taylor (American football)
Jason Paul Taylor is an American football linebacker who currently plays for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft...
, Thomas' former teammate in Miami.
Thomas' father is the builder and proprietor of the second largest cross in the Western Hemisphere, located in Groom, Texas
Groom, Texas
Groom is a town in Carson County, Texas, United States. The population was 587 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Amarillo, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. Thomas is married to Maritza Thomas. Thomas has one son Christian Zachary.