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. To me, is he a Hall of Famer? Thats his goal right now and any goal he has he goes all the way. These were guys that did a lot of the dirty work and I would go and clean up and Id get all the credit. But it was all love.. In fact, he hadn't thought of it even after Hall voters gathered for their annual conference to select honorees. Its a blessing that he can do that.. For me to sit here and say I deserve being in the Hall of Fame, thats just not me. In the stands, at about the 40yard line, there were several of Taylors family members, including his mother (Katina), younger sister (Zoe) and uncle (Zach Thomas, the seven-time Pro Bowl linebacker). And I just gave him one of these . To where? And they told me it was to Green Bay. He was a 2016 APSE Top 3 columnist nationwide. The 2021 Miami Dolphins? Does Zach Thomas belong in the Pro Football Hall of Fame? Obviously I think (know) that Zach Thomas should be in the Hall of Fame. 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! Zach Thomas The conversation got far enough along that Belichick told Thomas he probably wouldnt be able to take Tedy Bruschis jersey number 54, the one Thomas wore in Miami. 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 So before the play, I see this and Peyton is calling signals, and I yell, Lead draw! Thomas says. Whatever Thomas said to Maritza that night neither really remembers and it doesnt matter because she didnt give him her number. Im making my own hours. I was dead tired after running so far, Taylor said. The same year Thomas had 162 tackles (13 for a loss), 3 passes defended, 4 forced fumbles, 1 interception and 2 sacks. It was a love Saban maybe didnt fully understand in the spring of 2006 when Mawae visited. On the other hand the former Bears player forced 11 fumbles as a player whilst Thomas forced 16. MIAMI DOLPHINS GREAT Jason Taylor Settles Divorce Dispute Were eating and Nick asks me what I think of Kevin, Thomas says. Just couldnt do it. Katina Thomas boyfriend, It was all just for motivation.. The IDC (Internet Dolphins Community) have been very vocal in their displeasure about Zach not getting a mustard-colored jacket on all of the social media platforms. And one said, Thats my favorite player. So [Saban] stopped practice and made a scene. NFL: Jason Taylor, Tony Gonzalez, Brett Favre and But on the first play of the second game, [Dallas] brought in a LB at fullback to take me on. Starting middle linebacker? I knew right then I was going to have issues when the symptoms kicked in.. As great as he was on the field, he is even better as a family man and a role model. By Armando Salguero 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. And whats crazy is after it died down, and Im not naming the coaches, but a couple of them came up together and said, Youre our hero, man. Because he treated them pretty badly, Thomas says. Well he has 22 interceptions to his name whilst Zach has 17. The Dolphins that year were 9-7 and did not make the playoffs. But I used it all the time in Washington and I still got lost." During his induction speech he gave props to Thomas, who he faced 16 times during his 16-year NFL career. Dolphins reporter Hal Habib can be reached athhabib@pbpost.com and followed on Twitter@gunnerhal. Mawae, who has enormous hands, sent the Xerox to the Dolphins facility in Davie for personal delivery to Thomas. But I understood. In 2005 Urlacher won the Defensive Player of the Year award. The Dolphins already had veteran Jack Del Rio. This is Zach Thomas life now. During his career he was often compared to Brian Urlacher as their time in the NFL overlapped. Zach and I always had a I was on the passenger side and I was talking to my brother on the phone and I didnt know if the phone hit me in the head or it was the headrest that felt so hard.. The Bears that year were 11-5. So he must have been much better than Thomas who has waited until 2020 to be a finalist right? I dont have to work right now -- even though it is work and challenging with kids. Zach certainly has the stats. It was definitely a chess match. Zach Thomas was my nemesis, Mawae said 22:16 into his 27-minute Hall of Fame speech. The Colts, in the same division as Miami then, were almost exclusively a one back and one tight end team. Thomas was inducted in 2012 into the Dolphin Honor Roll along with Jason Taylor, the other half of the Dolphins' Featured Image: Zach Thomas lined up for action. She was there with friends because it was ladies night. And I knew they had all those great leaders on defense. So much that Thomas says, I made pressure my friend.. He pretty much told me, next time a coach is coaching you, you shut the [expletive] up. That year he had 122 tackles, (17 for loss), 5 passes defended 1 forced fumble, no interceptions and 6 sacks. This is about individual recognition. Seeing his bust in Canton will complete a storybook climb for Thomas, who arrived in South Florida with little fanfare. I hear Bill Belichick does it to Tom Brady. Mawae laughed and still laughs at the story to this day. But all that enjoyment didnt exactly bloom early in their relationship. Two other numbers have been shadow retired, with Zach Thomas number 54 and Jason Taylors 99 no longer used by the franchise. The 2023 season is the time to finally honor those two players and put their numbers in the same standing as the other legendary numbers. Zach Thomas was not much of a self-promoter. And they decided it was time for Thomas and the Dolphins to go their separate ways. ZACH THOMAS' HALL OF FAME CREDENTIALS. 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. Equal to his peers. The somber thoughts often drifted into Jason Taylor's mind as he friend and brother-in-law Zach Thomas. Hes the man. Zach Thomas 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. Jenna and Zach married in 2021 and welcomed a baby boy together. Zach Thomas is a 49 year old American Football (American) Player. Maritza is listening to these stories with a smile. Yes, life has changed for Thomas since he stopped playing in 2009. Now his former teammate Zach Thomas, who spent 11 seasons with the Dolphins So theyre telling me, Theyre trying to trade you right now.. But somehow Urlacher was a first ballot Hall of Fame inductee and Thomas who retired earlier is still waiting to get into Canton. This undersized linebacker was chosen 154th overall in 1996 and coincidentally assigned jersey No. God bless, Tua Tagovailoa throws interception. He is adamant that Zach Thomas should be in the hall as well, as are most of Thomas former teammates. And that was him exploding into tackles a whopping 1,734 of them before anyone got the better of him. The pressure now is getting Christian to his soccer practice and games on time. That was stress so much of it that Thomas would get blisters on his lip from the pressure. I was trying to get the call, Thomas says. Yes, Zach got on one knee. Zach has all the history with the guy going from a 5th* round pick by Jimmy to 2 time 1st team All-pro selection before Jimmy Retired beginning of 99 And then in college, I was two-time All-American and then I go, the 154th pick. But as agent Drew Rosenhaus predicted to Thomas, if Belichick made him an offer, others would follow suit. And on the first play of the first inside drill of 2009 training camp, Thomas blew up the lead fullback and sustained another concussion and he could not practice or play. And Im right in front of my defense. 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 Thomas always prided himself in preparation. I kind of wanted to be part of that, but when I thought about it, I knew that would let all my fans down. But the odds of being in the conversation of the all-time greats has got to be super high. 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. "Im finally in, man," Thomas said. It can also be about direct comparison. 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. That was going to be my title for this piece. The Chiefs cut him in training camp. Couldnt believe it.. But the Hall of Famer whom Thomas will forever be most associated with is defensive end Jason Taylor. I want to stay. I am truly honored and humbled to be voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Thomas said. He wanted to rip into somebody. When he arrived in Davie, Thomas goal was to make the roster through special teams. 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.. It represents all the great teammates I had. Ninety-Nine Yards launched in 2018 and covers all aspects of the American football. This is when Maritza and I were still dating and shes like, Were moving to Green Bay? And it didnt go through. Thomas playing from 1996-2008 & Urlacher from 2000-2012. This time as one of the games all-time greats. Hes one of those guys that never got the respect he deserved, never got the attention he deserves. Saying that would make me feel Im being ungrateful. Mawae and Thomas, the great center and great linebacker, were rivals. After Saban left, the Dolphins hired Cam Cameron as their next coach. Zach and Maritza were engaged the bye week of the 2005 season on a St. Maarten beach with shooting stars as the audience. And many highlights, Adam Shaheen speaks about not getting vaccinated as Dolphins respect player choice. Jimmy Johnson came to me and was like, Zach, were starting you. Im like, Yes, sir. . 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 look up and I could tell Peyton was wondering howd you know? , Peyton was the best in the business. Who is Zach Thomas dating? Zach Thomas girlfriend, wife Not even Johnson could have predicted the results. 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. 2000s All-decade team member and Hall of Fame inductee Kevin Mawae thinks it too. I could never have accomplished this without your love and support. I dont know what else they wanted. Opponent and team-mate are in agreement and that theme of being overlooked is there again. Thank you to all of my teammates. And if it wasnt a lead draw, Id have been in trouble, but I hit it and made the tackle. 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. . The more I thought about it though the more ridiculous that seemed. The honor comes in Thomas' fourth year as a Hall finalist. Zach Thomas is holding his wife Maritzas hand as they sit in the gazebo by their pool. Taylor was enshrined in 2017. So I just told him Im a grown-[expletive] man and told him to shut the [expletive] up. So for me, even in my early years, I knew every one of the 17 linebackers that went ahead of me. It certainly wasnt that way when Thomas and Saban were yelling at each other during a practice in the fall of 2005. Jason Taylor | Pro Football Hall of Fame - pfhof Thomas jokingly countered hed wear No. Thats humbling. Zachs accomplishments on the field made him one of the greatest players in NFL history. But the relationship didnt quite start out with such high appreciation. Zach Thomas I didnt know anything about football, Maritza says.