It's official: Zach Thomas has been enshrined into the Hall of Fame
By Brian Miller
After several years of trying, Armando Salguero who presented him to the HOF voters along with help from former Miami Dolphins Scott Stone, convinced the voters what Miami Dolphins fans already knew, Zach Thomas deserved to be inducted.
Thomas spent almost his entire career with the Dolphins after being drafted in the 5th round of the 1996 NFL Draft. A smaller linebacker that most had past over but a player with the heart that Jimmy Johnson coveted. As Thomas said to open his speech, it was 27 years to the day that he was named the starting linebacker in his rookie season.
In his speech, Thomas credited his coaches and his teammates for guiding him and inspiring him. He thanked the fans who wore his jersey's in the stand and the same fans who lobbied the HoF voters year in and out to add him to the hall. Today, he is officially a Hall of Fame linebacker.
Emotional? Thomas has been overcome by emotions since he found out he had been named to this year's class. In his speech, he took a hard tone and was able to fend off those emotions...almost. He honored his coach Jimmy Johnson who wiped away tears from the side of the stage in his seat.
Thomas made it through talking about his family. His wife and kids in front of him and even commented that he made it through without crying. He almost made it all the way to the end.
At the end of his speech, Thomas began to cry. He was ready to thank one more persons. A former player he admired, looked up to, was a fan of. Another enshrined HOF linebacker. And when he said Junior Seau, he was already in tears. An emotional thank you to the player he looked up to growing up and a player he got to play alongside once in his career.
Today, Thomas along with others is being inducted into the HOF, his time on stage is done. It's over. An after party awaits. His long trip from the dirt roads of Texas to Canton has come to its rightful conclusion. Zach Thomas has been inducted into the Hall of Fame, long overdue, but finally, it arrived!