Following one of the most impressive careers in Miami Dolphins history, the legendary Zach Thomas is now finally where he belongs: in the Hall of Fame.
Thomas was announced as one of the members of the talented-stacked Class of 2023 during the NFL Honors ceremony, with quite an emotional video of him hearing the news.
Jimmy Johnson breaking the news to Zach Thomas that he is going into the @ProFootballHOF pic.twitter.com/hVLCSdOQDM
— DolphinsTalk.com (@DolphinsTalk) February 10, 2023
The legendary linebacker will be joined by DeMarcus Ware, Darrell Revis, and Ronde Barber as one of the 15 eligible modern-era finalists.
It took him four years of eligibility, but the Selection Committee finally chose the Texas Tech product.
Thomas was inducted into the Dolphin Honor Roll back in 2012 alongside lifelong teammate Jason Taylor, so this honor is long overdue for him.
Even though he wasn’t the most physical specimen or the most impressive athlete, Thomas’ numbers speak for themselves.
He started 168 games for the Dolphins, averaging just under ten tackles per game and playing at least 12 games in ten seasons.
Thomas led the NFL in tackles in 2002 (156) and 2006 (165), finishing with at least 128 total tackles in 10 different seasons.
He also recorded a whopping 17 interceptions throughout his career, forcing 16 fumbles and recovering eight, and logging 20.5 sacks.
More than that, he was always a locker room leader and one of the biggest factors behind the Dolphins’ defensive success in the 90s and early 2000s, completely outplaying his draft stock as a fifth-round pick.
He made an impact right away by becoming a starter as a rookie, making things easy for the flashier Jayson Taylor, and anchoring a Dolphins defense that often ranked in the top 10.
NEXT: Jaguars Player Has Honest Admission About Tyreek Hill
