Derrick Thomas
Derrick Thomas was born in Miami, Florida, United States on January 1st, 1967 and is the Football Player. At the age of 33, Derrick Thomas biography, profession, age, height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, measurements, education, career, dating/affair, family, news updates, and networth are available.
At 33 years old, Derrick Thomas has this physical status:
Derrick Vincent Thomas (January 1, 1967 – February 8, 2000), nicknamed D.T., was an American football linebacker and defensive end who competed for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL).
Thomas was drafted fourth overall by the Chiefs in 1989 NFL Draft, where he spent the majority of his 11-year career before his death in 2000.
He was named to nine Pro Bowls and holds the record for the most sacks in a single game at seven. He was one of the finest pass rushers of all time. Thomas was involved in a car accident during the 1999–2000 NFL playoffs, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down.
He died from a blood clot that formed in his legs and spread to his lungs days later, causing a pulmonary embolism.
Thomas was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2014.
Early life
Thomas, a boy from Miami, Florida, was raised by his mother, Edith Morgan. Robert James Thomas, his father, Air Force Captain and B-52 pilot, died during a Vietnam War mission. Thomas began playing football at three years old and played his high school football at South Miami Senior High School.
College career
Thomas, along with Cornelius Bennett and Keith McCants at Alabama, smashed several Crimson Tide defensive records, including sacks in a single season. In 1988, he was named the Butkus Award. He was also named as a consensus All-American at the end of the 1988 Sun Bowl, a season that culminated in the Crimson Tide's dramatic 29-28 triumph over Army. Thomas was named a Sun Bowl Legend in 2000. The Lakeshore Foundation gave him the Soaring Spirit Award. Fred Sington, the football legend at University of Alabama, has been honoured with this annual award. Thomas was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2014.
Professional career
Thomas was selected fourth overall by the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round of the 1989 NFL Draft. He was the first pick made by new head coach Marty Schottenheimer.
In the Chiefs' week 2 game against the Los Angeles Rams, Thomas will be sacking for the first time in his career. As he finished with 2.5 sacks, it was also his first multi-sack game. With ten sacks in his rookie year, he would have his second straightsacks. He was named AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. He was also selected to the Pro Bowl.
Thomas played at least half of a sack in each of the Chiefs' first five games in his second year. Fred Dean set a new record of sacks in a single game with 7 sacks in the Chiefs' week ten game against the Seattle Seahawks. However, Thomas had a good chance for his eighth dismissal on the game's last play but it was denied and the Seahawks would throw a game winning touchdown after the missed call. He would later admit to the one play in his career that he wished he had a second shot at. He will finish the season with what would be a career high 20 sacks, breaking a franchise record that didn't exist before Justin Houston broke it in 2014. He ranked second in defensive player of the year's voting and was selected 1st team All-Pro.
In the Chiefs' Week 11 game against the Los Angeles Rams, he would score his first career touchdown on a 23-yard fumble return for a touchdown.
Thomas would have been sacketed in each of the first four seasons in his career, with double-digits in each. He had sack totals in 7 of his 11 seasons in the NFL.
Thomas, who was a career taper in 1999, set a new low for sacks with 7. In the Chiefs' victory over the San Diego Chargers on week 8, he would also record his first interception in his career. In the Chiefs' Week 15 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he will be the last sack of his career. The Chiefs met their Oakland Raiders in what would be his last game of his career. He will die 37 days later. With a victory in the game, the Chiefs will qualify for the playoffs. In overtime, the Chiefs lost by 41-38. He didn't get rid of his ex colleague Rich Gannon, but he did have a whopping 6 tackles.
Thomas was selected to the Pro Bowl nine times and was named to the 1st team All-Pro 3 times. He is his 17th All-time In sacks, and at the time of his inception in 2000, he was the ninth All-time with 126.5. He is the Chiefs' all-time leader in sacks, safeties, compelled fumbles, fumble recoveries, and defensive touchdowns. He had 1 interceptor and recovered 19 fumbles, throwing them back for 161 yards and 4 touchdowns during his career. In interviews, Thomas said Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway, who sacked 26 times, was his favorite quarterback to be fired. The sack total over Elway was the most against any quarterback in Thomas' career, and the most sackable Elway has been fired is Elway. He was inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2000, with the Chiefs breaking the Chiefs' tradition of waiting four years after the player's service ended. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009 for a reason. The Chiefs cut the number 58 in honor of him later this year. The Chiefs did not reissue the number following his death until it was officially retired. In addition, the Chiefs named their player of the year award in Thomas' honor, an award he won twice before being named in his honor.