Derrick Thomas Gets Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame - January 31, 2009
In my lifetime the Chiefs glory days were the 1990's. No team had a more feared homefield advantage than Arrowhead in the '90's, no team had a better home record than the Chiefs in the '90's, no team had more turnovers than the Chiefs in the '90's and the Chiefs had one of the best winning percentages in the league over that time.
Why were the Chiefs so successful during this time? There are quite a few reasons. Carl Petersen and Marty Schottenheimer came along in the late 1980's inheriting a Chiefs franchise that had been bottom feeding for over a decade. The Chiefs made the playoffs in 1986 but had not been there before that since 1971, and wouldn't be there again until 1990.
In Schottenheimer's first year the Chiefs had the #4 overall draft pick. Knowing the key to success in the league was to have a good defense, a defensive player was paramount with this draft pick. When the Chiefs' number was called they selected Derrick Thomas with the 4th overall pick out of the University of Alabama.
Thomas was a standout linebacker at the University of Alabama toppling many Alabama defensive records. In 1988, Thomas' senior year he dominated the college football landscape winning the Butkis Award (best linebacker in the country), being named a unanimous All-American and finishing 10th in the Heisman Balloting. Thomas was sure to be a success in the NFL.
After being drafted, Thomas garnered 10 sacks his rookie year and was named to his first pro bowl, becoming the first Chiefs player since Bobby Bell to be named to the pro bowl his rookie year. However, it was in his next year that Thomas would solidify himself as a force in the NFL for years to come. On November 11, 1990 Thomas sacked Seattle Seahawks quarterback Dave Krieg a total of 7 times in one game, which to this day is still the single game NFL sack record. This game helped push Thomas to a career high total of 20 sacks landing him in another pro bowl and garnering his first All-Pro honor.
After making his second straight pro bowl, Thomas would go on to make an appearance in 7 more consecutive pro bowls further solidifying himself as one of the premiere and most feared defensive players in the game. There was no more terrifying player to opposing offenses in the 1990's than Derrick Thomas.
Thomas sacked the opposing quarterback a total of 116.5 times in the 1990's alone and 126.5 times for his career. That tally is good enough to put him at 11th all time, close to such greats of the game as Lawrence Taylor (132.5) and Richard Dent (137.5).
On the chilly morning of January 23, 2000 Thomas' life was tragically altered as he was in a car accident on the way to the airport during a Kansas City snowstorm. Thomas was not wearing his seatbelt and was paralyzed from the chest down dying two weeks later on February 8, 2000. This tragic event ended what had already been a great career and one that was sure to have much more in store, but more than that, this event ended the life of a great man and a great sports hero beloved by the city of Kansas City.
In case you couldn't put it all together here is a consolidation of his career stats: 126.5 sacks (11th all time), 9 consecutive pro bowls, 2-time all pro, 7 sacks in one game (NFL record), 4 fumble returns for a touchdown (3rd all time in the NFL), and 3 safeties (3rd all time in the NFL).
Why this made the list:
I came to life in my sports life during the prime of Derrick Thomas' career. Growing up it was a pleasure to watch such a special athlete play the game at such a high level for such a long time. It seemed as though every time the Chiefs needed a big play DT was there to show up and make something happen. Whether it was a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery for a touchdown, even a safety, when something needed to happen, everyone KNEW Thomas was going to make it happen.
Thomas was a player you took for granted in KC, he was there for so long and performed at such a high level for that time you didn't know what it was like without him. Although, we have found out now as the defense has not been the same since he played his last game in 1999.
Going beyond his accomplishments on the field Thomas had a great presence in the Kansas City community and reached folk hero status among the Kansas City faithful, especially my generation. For my generation, Thomas was the first true KC sports hero. There had been some that were at the downslope of their career arc as my generation was coming up (George Brett, Tom Watson, etc.), but Thomas was the first that my generation got to see grow up as we grew up.
Thomas transcended being just an athlete and was a mythical sports hero to those of my generation. His induction to the Hall of Fame was the cap to a life in which he was recognized by all as a force on the field and a great man off the field. This truly was a great sports moment in my lifetime.
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