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. Because I am a Dolphin for life. With Thomas leading the way with major contributions from Taylor obviously the Dolphins defense finished in the top 10 in fewest yards allowed an The 2021 Miami Dolphins? They're just delaying inevitable. Not exactly setting the league alight. 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. Thomas had not received much attention as a free agent before that visit. Zachs accomplishments on the field made him one of the greatest players in NFL history. Born Zachary Michael This is home: Jason Taylors unlikely path to NFL greatness Bill Parcells took the reins of the team, along with head coach Tony Sparano and general manager Jeff Ireland. 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. But I understood. I dont look the part. Thomas sat out three weeks. His relationship with Zach Thomas, however, might be the one that made the deepest impact on Jason, both professionally and personally. I was trying to get the call, Thomas says. Miami Dolphins Great Zach Thomas Now a Hall of Zach Thomas is holding his wife Maritzas hand as they sit in the gazebo by their pool. Thank you to all of my teammates. But it was all love.. So he wanted to trade me. 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. (No, this isnt going to be a rip job on Cameron, whose 2007 team managed only one victory in 16 games). Jason Taylors son is a key starter for Aquinas, but hes They brought me in and I had a 1-on-1 talk with Bill, Thomas says. And thats the stuff I miss. Like it or not, those who make a fuss in an entertainment business (which sport essentially is) can often capture the attention. Traffic came to a real fast stop, Thomas says. Maritza is listening to these stories with a smile. The games been too good to me.. 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 soon the games old stresses and retirements welcome peace will be locked in a standoff. Certainly better than having to join the Jets. He also becomes the second linebacker chosen, joining the late Nick Buoniconti. Now Taylor hopes that his former teammate, Zach Thomas, gets the same good news on Saturday, when the remainder of the 2020 Hall class is determined. If it wasnt for Zach Thomas, I wouldnt be in the Hall of Fame, Taylor told me Wednesday at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Contribute Who is Katina Thomas dating? ZACH THOMAS' HALL OF FAME CREDENTIALS. 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. He hadnt even earned my respect at that point. Im looking forward to celebrating this with all of you. 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). 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. 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. Dolphins have a problem but not what you think, Dolphins at Bears quickie reaction: Defense outstanding, Tagovailoa a work in progress, Dolphins live practice blog: One key player dressed, others not. 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. Equal to his peers. Thats a momentous departure from the time Thomas sometimes refers to as crazy or wild a span of 13 NFL seasons he spent as perhaps the most adored Miami Dolphins player of the day. So for me, wow, man. Thomas went to Dallas instead. Back then they were miking the refs and I didnt know about it, Thomas says. Those past teams came to their regular seasons with plans more than hope. An award Zach never received. Who was around in your era and how do you compare to them? On this day in Dolphins history: Zach Thomas retires Yes, Zach got on one knee. Yes, life has changed for Thomas since he stopped playing in 2009. Johnson, not Thomas, introducing Taylor at Hall of Fame Starting middle linebacker? They would go on to have quite similar career numbers (more below) but one was feted much more than the other. Then on the turnpike ride home, with Maritza driving, the couple was rear-ended. It is also a podcast that features interviews with both current and former NFL stars and you can listen via Spreaker and Apple Podcasts. I met with Belichick. Here are the 17 linebackers drafted ahead of Hall of Famer Zach Thomas in 1996, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Whatever Thomas said to Maritza that night neither really remembers and it doesnt matter because she didnt give him her number. But all that enjoyment didnt exactly bloom early in their relationship. And for me, I pretty much used that as, well, Im different. In 168 games for the Dolphins all starts he had 1,640 tackles and 19.5 sacks. And Miamis Pro Bowl linebacker and defensive leader found out about it. The somber thoughts often drifted into Jason Taylor's mind as he friend and brother-in-law Zach Thomas. But the odds of being in the conversation of the all-time greats has got to be super high. Not even Johnson could have predicted the results. Perhaps Urlacher was better at forcing turnovers? Former Miami Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas plays a pick-up game of soccer in Davie, Florida, Tuesday, January, 21, 2020. What Happened To Jason Taylor? (Complete Story) They would go on to have quite similar career numbers (more below) but one was feted much more than the other. 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. It gave me purpose, it gave me family, it gave me wealth. Together, the duo shared a lot of love and an even bigger ego. So before the play, I see this and Peyton is calling signals, and I yell, Lead draw! Thomas says. Zach Thomas was my nemesis, Mawae said 22:16 into his 27-minute Hall of Fame speech. 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. 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. I felt bad for a while because I thought that was a reason he didnt sign with us at the time, Thomas says, But Kevin told me the Dolphins didnt offer him a contract, and thats the reason he didnt sign.. Thomas played only five games in that wasteland of a season. I teach my kids to be grateful for everything they do and get. They went 108-100 and went 3-6 in the playoffs. And if it wasnt a lead draw, Id have been in trouble, but I hit it and made the tackle. But the Hall of Famer whom Thomas will forever be most associated with is defensive end Jason Taylor. But it worked out.. And Im going to be here when you get here to work and Im going to be here when you leave. 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. He was the archetypal character that NFL commentators love to label a Bring his own lunch-pail to work guy. Miami Dolphins fans can meet Jason Taylor and Zach Jimmy Johnson came to me and was like, Zach, were starting you. But that simply wasnt possible. In December 2022, the couple welcomed their second child, a daughter named Liliana Marie. But if I called out that one play in a game, hed be thinking I know whats coming the whole game. 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. "You cant take me out.". Maritzas father Guillermo Lozano immigrated from Bogota when he was 19 years old. Its all about perception play on a successful team (the Bears were 126-98 & went to a Superbowl during Urlachers career), and you get the recognition. Absolutely.. Dolphins reporter Hal Habib can be reached athhabib@pbpost.com and followed on Twitter@gunnerhal. I didnt like how he treated a couple of those guys, but he works in ways that no one gets too comfortable, too relaxed. He is an Associated Press All-Pro and awards voter. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. WebRelationships. I havent even thought that far up., The 17th LB in draft?Oops! 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. So now Im in his head. And the truck behind us didnt even hit their brakes before they hit us. The symptom lasted nearly a year. Taylor joined ESPN as a pro football analyst on June 6, That year he had 122 tackles, (17 for loss), 5 passes defended 1 forced fumble, no interceptions and 6 sacks. But Katina sees a correlation between Isaiah and her brother, Zach Thomas. Former Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas, who made a career out of stonewalling running backs with thunderous hits, made the loudest noise of all Thursday night by being named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Jason Taylor Notify me of follow-up comments by email. I am not alone in that thinking. That first meeting happened at the Roundup Country Western nightclub in Davie. Jason Taylor deserved better. Get in-depth, sideline coverage of Miami area sports - only $1 a month. I didnt know he was a starter. Parcells cut Thomas. 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. Jason Taylor He was routinely putting in 150+ tackles per season at the height of his career. But as agent Drew Rosenhaus predicted to Thomas, if Belichick made him an offer, others would follow suit. Taylor was no stranger to sacking the quarterback as 53 instead, which in New England belonged to former teammate and roommate Larry Izzo. I hear Bill Belichick does it to Tom Brady. After a preseason game, Junior Seau says, You want to go out with me tonight? Thomas recalls. Dont let me down, Thomas said. And while coaches prepared their defense by showing players clips of the opponents previous three games, Thomas would spend time alone going back years. To go from being a fifth-round pick to football immortality? After Saban left, the Dolphins hired Cam Cameron as their next coach. If youre grading my play, I was figuring it out so it was hard to sit out. He was a 2016 APSE Top 3 columnist nationwide. I feel like Zachs focus now is being a great father and husband. So theyre telling me, Theyre trying to trade you right 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 Then [Jason Taylor] jumps into it and everyones all wide-eyed getting into it back and forth.. 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.. They were trying to get Javon Walker. Its a blessing that he can do that.. 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!. The honor comes in Thomas' fourth year as a Hall finalist. Thomas jokingly countered hed wear No. For a while Jason Taylor & Zach Thomas were the beating heart of the Dolphins D. Taylor was enshrined in Canton in 2017. Zach Thomas is a 49 year old American Football (American) Player. Your email address will not be published. NFL: Jason Taylor, Tony Gonzalez, Brett Favre and Thomas defensive partner and former brother-in-law, Jason Taylor, was elected a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2017. 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. 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. And then in college, I was two-time All-American and then I go, the 154th pick. Featured Image: Zach Thomas lined up for action. And that was him exploding into tackles a whopping 1,734 of them before anyone got the better of him. 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. Thats humbling, Thomas said. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. To where? And they told me it was to Green Bay. But on the first play of the second game, [Dallas] brought in a LB at fullback to take me on. In 2005 Urlacher won the Defensive Player of the Year award. He pretty much said that any linebacker hed had, once they hit 35 it was downhill. And Im a veteran, Im not part of their future. Zach Thomas Urlacher put in 315 assists on tackles (1.73 per game), Thomas had 627 career assists (3.4 per game). Thomas will be enshrined along with the other members of the Class of 2023: cornerback/safety Ronde Barber, coach Don Coryell, linebacker Chuck Howley, defensive end/defensive tackle/nose tackle Joe Klecko, cornerback Darrelle Revis, cornerback Ken Riley, offensive tackle Joe Thomas and linebacker/defensive end DeMarcus Ware. So I just told him Im a grown-[expletive] man and told him to shut the [expletive] up. Former Dolphins coach Jimmy Johnson will be his presenter. 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. You know, I was two-time all-state, but I dont get offered, he said. Katina, 42, who happens to be the sister of former Taylor teammate Zach In 182 games Urlacher had 1,046 solo tackles (5.74 per game). Jenna and Zach married in 2021 and welcomed a baby boy together. Zach Thomas & Jason Taylor have just been inducted into the Dolphins Honor Roll! 1 on that list., He made everybody that played with him better. Opponent and team-mate are in agreement and that theme of being overlooked is there again. 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! The battles were epic. And they decided it was time for Thomas and the Dolphins to go their separate ways. Zach Thomas His secret? 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. The more I thought about it though the more ridiculous that seemed. But Im not knocking Saban. The Saints soon wanted Thomas, and in retrospect Thomas admits not going there is one of my few regrets.. Thats why hes a winner.. It was a love Saban maybe didnt fully understand in the spring of 2006 when Mawae visited. Does he belong? shouldnt even be a question, the Miami Dolphins great deserves to be in, of that I am in no doubt. This time as one of the games all-time greats. Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor will be there for you to meet. View in 2021:Habib: Hall voters didn't 'rob' Dolphins' Zach Thomas. But somehow Urlacher was a first ballot Hall of Fame inductee and Thomas who retired earlier is still waiting to get into Canton. Thomas signed a one-year deal with the Cowboys in 2008 and owner Jerry Jones asked him to sign for another year when that season ended, but Thomas told him he needed to get back to a system he felt more familiar playing. I believe in that stuff. 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. I went to the sideline, but I couldnt sit down because I was falling asleep on the bench, Thomas says. Are Zach and Alex Still Together or Have They Broken 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. . 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. They say its 1/10th of 1 percent just to make it to the NFL. About Katina Thomas is an American TV News. "I want to thank my family for all the sacrifices they made for me over the years. Masons uncle, Zach Thomas, was a standout linebacker for 13 seasons with 3 teams, being named to 7 Pro Bowls of his own. Lets just agree that it was a mutually beneficial arrangement for both parties. The other Dolphins in the Hall are coach Don Shula; quarterbacks Bob Griese and Dan Marino; centers Jim Langer and Dwight Stephenson; fullback Larry Csonka; guard Larry Little; and receiver Paul Warfield. It was indeed a dream come true. The Bears that year were 11-5. That was tension. So he must have been much better than Thomas who has waited until 2020 to be a finalist right? 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. Those children, his marriage, are his job. The following season the Dolphins had a new administration in charge again. Urlacher was a first ballot Hall of Fame inductee in the class of 2018. He wanted to rip into somebody. And Im grateful to football. Zach Thomas 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. But the relationship didnt quite start out with such high appreciation. Yet Zach Thomas had a much more productive career in terms of tackles per game. Zach made 182 starts over his 13 season career whilst Urlacher made 180 over his 13 year career. For me, man, its always about respect. You might say theyre a team of hope. He pretty much told me, next time a coach is coaching you, you shut the [expletive] up. 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. Zach was there with offensive tackle Todd Wade. Both of them stand 5-foot-11, and both of them know what its like to be underrated. Taylor was enshrined in 2017. Zach Thomas Between 1996 & 2008 they won two division titles. 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. And I said, Oh, really? Zach Thomas Now his former teammate Zach Thomas, who spent 11 seasons with the Dolphins 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 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. But I used it all the time in Washington and I still got lost." Tori Deal & Jordan Wiseley (Off) Tori Deal and Jordan Wiseley were considered one of the ultimate power couples. Thomas talks about how much he loves Saban as a coach and greatly enjoyed playing in his defense. Facebook
