Katina Thomas-Taylor sued him in 2017 because she claimed he fell short on his promise by $3.4 million. Johnson, not Thomas, introducing Taylor at Hall of Fame Bill Parcells took the reins of the team, along with head coach Tony Sparano and general manager Jeff Ireland. 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. In 2005 Urlacher won the Defensive Player of the Year award. They say its 1/10th of 1 percent just to make it to the NFL. And after retiring from football, we had Christian, we built this house. 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. This time as one of the games all-time greats. But all that enjoyment didnt exactly bloom early in their relationship. When I look at back to being an 8-year-old kid starting football, I had big dreams and for it to play out like it has, Im grateful. She was there with friends because it was ladies night. He instead celebrates the years that came before. Jason Taylor It represents all the great teammates I had. Jenna and Zach married in 2021 and welcomed a baby boy together. He wanted to rip into somebody. Thomas talks about how much he loves Saban as a coach and greatly enjoyed playing in his defense. And it was another reason to think he better do this somewhere different because there were so many other guys that he drafted that were just lazy that he needed to rip into and never did. Are Zach and Alex Still Together or Have They Broken I met with Belichick. Zach Thomas is a 49 year old American Football (American) Player. An award Zach never received. So he wanted to trade me. I get offered two scholarships, so I take one (to Texas Tech). That year he had 122 tackles, (17 for loss), 5 passes defended 1 forced fumble, no interceptions and 6 sacks. Thomas playing from 1996-2008 & Urlacher from 2000-2012. Here are the 17 linebackers drafted ahead of Hall of Famer Zach Thomas in 1996. Columnist. But that motivated me even more than usual, the Dolphins trying to get rid of me, thinking I couldnt play in that defense. I didnt like how he treated a couple of those guys, but he works in ways that no one gets too comfortable, too relaxed. So before the play, I see this and Peyton is calling signals, and I yell, Lead draw! Thomas says. Dolphins enter 2021 season with hope in a lot of areas. For me to sit here and say I deserve being in the Hall of Fame, thats just not me. 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. They went 108-100 and went 3-6 in the playoffs. 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.. It was all just for motivation.. And Im a veteran, Im not part of their future. Now hes a big Dolphins fan, Maritza says of her father. Im the leader of this defense, man., Im good with being called out, thats fine. Do you think Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor will make it At some point they need more, Grading the Miami Dolphins roster and what that might mean for 2021 regular season, Armando Salguero farewell: It was never about me, it was always for you. They're just delaying inevitable. Anyway, I blitzed myself. So now Im in his head. Ninety-Nine Yards launched in 2018 and covers all aspects of the American football. 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. . Notify me of follow-up comments by email. "Oh, man," Thomas said. It gave me purpose, it gave me family, it gave me wealth. View in 2021:Habib: Hall voters didn't 'rob' Dolphins' Zach Thomas. 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 [Saban] stopped practice and made a scene. And many highlights, Adam Shaheen speaks about not getting vaccinated as Dolphins respect player choice. 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. He is one of 48 Pro Football Hall of Fame voters. A lot of Hall of Fame voting can come down to statistics. 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. What gives? So he did give me a 1-on-1 but they wouldnt allow me to meet with [reporters] at the facility. And one said, Thats my favorite player. fl-miami-dolphins-1010B - Retired Miami Dolphins linebackers Jason Taylor, left, and Zach Thomas, right, entered the Dolphins Ring of Honor on Tuesday, October 9, 2012. Theyre the Patriots.. Or he was my favorite player. . She is famous for sister of NFL player Zach Thomas. I didnt know anything about football, Maritza says. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. Does he belong? shouldnt even be a question, the Miami Dolphins great deserves to be in, of that I am in no doubt. Zach Thomas is holding his wife Maritzas hand as they sit in the gazebo by their pool. Between 1996 & 2008 they won two division titles. Required fields are marked *. Former Dolphins coach Jimmy Johnson will be his presenter. Zach Thomas was not much of a self-promoter. He was the archetypal character that NFL commentators love to label a Bring his own lunch-pail to work guy. Maritzas father Guillermo Lozano immigrated from Bogota when he was 19 years old. I understood the whole business part of it. Yes, Zach got on one knee. Your support means everything to me.. 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. But on the first play of the second game, [Dallas] brought in a LB at fullback to take me on. And I said, Oh, really? 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. Habib: Hall voters didn't 'rob' Dolphins' Zach Thomas. He starts, Zach, Im trying to make a point to get it to the team, Thomas recalls. Because I am a Dolphin for life. This is when Maritza and I were still dating and shes like, Were moving to Green Bay? And it didnt go through. Zach Thomas has had no other relationships that we know of.. About. I would always say no, but I said, Im coming with you. So we would have never met if Junior hadnt brought me out. Obviously I think (know) that Zach Thomas should be in the Hall of Fame. On behalf of the entire Dolphins organization and our fans around the world, I want to congratulate Zach on his election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said. 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. And the truck behind us didnt even hit their brakes before they hit us. Mawae and Thomas, the great center and great linebacker, were rivals. I hear Bill Belichick does it to Tom Brady. Zach Thomas & Jason Taylor have just been inducted into the Dolphins Honor Roll! In 182 games Urlacher had 1,046 solo tackles (5.74 per game). Contribute Who is Katina Thomas dating? It can also be about direct comparison. Zach Thomas Those children, his marriage, are his job. The defensive duo combined for 13 Pro Bowl selections during their The former NFL middle linebacker spent his career smack in the middle of chaos. Urlacher was a first ballot Hall of Fame inductee in the class of 2018. He has covered 25 Super Bowls, the NBA Finals, and the Olympics. Jimmy Johnson came to me and was like, Zach, were starting you. I am truly honored and humbled to be voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Thomas said. But the relationship didnt quite start out with such high appreciation. I look up and I could tell Peyton was wondering howd you know? , Peyton was the best in the business. Zach was there with offensive tackle Todd Wade. When he regained consciousness, Thomas wanted to keep playing as it was before the NFLs concussion protocol rules. I dont know what else they wanted. So I just told him Im a grown-[expletive] man and told him to shut the [expletive] up. 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. 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. The somber thoughts often drifted into Jason Taylor's mind as he friend and brother-in-law Zach Thomas. The endless waves rolling in behind their beachfront home are a hypnotizing sound track in the background. Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor will be there for you to meet. God bless, Tua Tagovailoa throws interception. There is only one thing left for the 7 time Pro Bowler, 5 time first team All-Pro, All Decade team member, 2 time NFL alumni linebacker of the year & Miami Dolphins All-Time leader in tackles made get him in the damn Hal of Fame, where he belongs! 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. The Dolphins already had veteran Jack Del Rio. I was trying to get the call, Thomas says. This story was originally published January 24, 2020, 12:09 PM. Does Zach Thomas belong in the Pro Football Hall of Fame? So for me, wow, man. So I enjoyed the visit, but I couldnt pull the trigger. And I felt like they mishandled that part. Start with the time Nick Saban wanted to trade Zach Thomas. And then the real pain began when he saw the people who hit him were wearing Patriots gear. He recalls playing Hall of Fame running backs like Marshall Faulk and Curtis Martin and fondly speaks of his meetings against Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, which felt as much like a chess match as a football game. Katina Taylor, Ex-Wife Of Former Dolphins Star Jason And .. But soon the games old stresses and retirements welcome peace will be locked in a standoff. Zach Thomas He wasnt demonstrative, but Zach Thomas was top of the tree good a true great at his position. Former Miami Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas has been on the doorstep of the Pro Football Hall of Fame a couple of times but still hasnt gotten in. 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. The Saints soon wanted Thomas, and in retrospect Thomas admits not going there is one of my few regrets.. Certainly better than having to join the Jets. And for me, I pretty much used that as, well, Im different. Not exactly setting the league alight. Urlacher was a first ballot Hall of Fame inductee in the class of 2018. Then theres the issue of the Dolphins during Thomas time there. Thomas sat out three weeks. But Im not knocking Saban. In December 2022, the couple welcomed their second child, a daughter named Liliana Marie. And Im grateful to football. He played against the New England Patriots on October 21, 2007, and, yes, the Dolphins lost. 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. He was one of the most reliable and consistent facets of the team during that whole period. It was a love Saban maybe didnt fully understand in the spring of 2006 when Mawae visited. Dolphins reporter Hal Habib can be reached athhabib@pbpost.com and followed on Twitter@gunnerhal. They brought me in and I had a 1-on-1 talk with Bill, Thomas says. During his career he was often compared to Brian Urlacher as their time in the NFL overlapped. So theyre telling me, Theyre trying to trade you right now.. The Hall of Fame vote on the Saturday before the Super Bowl is a routine-changer for the Thomas family this year. 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