FINALLY! Zach Thomas is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame!

Get your airline tickets purchased and book your hotels for Canton this August, Miami Dolphins legend, Zach Thomas has been elected to the Hall of Fame!

It took a while, too long if you ask the Dolphins fans. Too long, if you ask some of the former NFL players who have been enshrined already. Too long, if you ask his former head coach, Jimmy Johnson. Too long indeed.

Tonight, the wait is over and Zach Thomas has been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame!

Miami Dolphins fans are rejoicing, as they should. Year after year after year, we have waited. Last year, Thomas should have been voted in but LB Sam Mills, in his final year of eligibility was elected instead.

For Thomas, the heartbreak and nerves can now be put aside. The knock on his door finally came.

Thomas was bound to get inducted but the timing was the big question. Armando Salguero has been trying for years to get the voters on Thomas’ side.

The numbers for Thomas were almost identical and in some cases better than first-ballot HOF linebacker Brian Urlacher.

Years from now, no one will remember that Zach Thomas wasn’t a first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee. NFL fans will tour the HOF in Canton, Ohio and they will pass the busts of Biran Griese, Larry Csonka, Paul Warfield, Jim Langer, Larry Little, Nick Buoniconti, Dwight Stephenson, Dan Marino, Jason Taylor, and they will arrive at Zach Thomas.

Next up? The Dolphins may not see another Hall of Fame player for years. Bob Kuechenberg may have a shot with the Senior Committee but he remains a long shot. It was important to Kooch, but now that he has passed, it doesn’t seem to be as important. Richmond Webb should get more recognition than he does and maybe now that Zach is off the waitlist, the door could open for more Webb discussion, especially after last year’s class that included Tony Boselli.

There are others who think that Miami should be pressing for Mark Clayton or Mark Duper but beyond those, the list runs dry. No one in the last 15 years has had a career that should get serious consideration outside of Cameron Wake. Wake isn’t eligible for voting and has yet to officially retire from the league. Until he does, his five-year wait period will not begin.

Tonight, it’s all about Zach Thomas and in August, Dolphins fans will descend upon Canton to welcome him to a long overdue and long-awaited journey to where he should be. Tonight, Zach Thomas is a Hall of Famer.