Reaction to the Dolphins Releasing Zach Thomas

1,866 tackles, 19.5 sacks, 17 interceptions, 13 forced fumbles, 7 fumble recoveries, 4 TD, 7 Pro Bowl selections, 5 AP First Team All-Pro selections.

That is what Bill Parcells or Jeff Ireland or Tony Sparano let loose from the Miami Dolphins today. The numbers, as great as they are, do not justify what a great player Zach Thomas was for the past twelve years. He was the heart and soul of the Dolphins and the defenses he led, save 2007 when he missed all but five games, were outstanding, finishing in the top-5 a number of times, and rarely outside the top-10. Similar to the way Dan Marino never won a championship because the defense could never stop anyone, Zach Thomas will leave Miami ringless because the offense often struggled to put up 17 point in a game. He wore his emotions on his sleeve, something that he often says probably hurt the team more then it helped, but that was how tough each loss was for him. One of my favorite Zach Thomas moments was after a loss to the Jets in October 2001, in which the team had a 17-0 haltime lead, he came out and said that the team was soft and "absolute garbage." That isn't something that most coaches would want their leaders saying to the media after a loss, but that is just the kind of player Zach was. The Dolphins responded by winning six of their final eight games after that and finishing atop the AFC East with New England.

Inspiring is a word that best defines Thomas. A late 5th round draft choice in 1996, few remember him being drafted at all and the ones who do probably didn't think he had a shot to make the roster. Turns out this 5-11, 228 pound, smaller-than-most-running backs-linebacker did make the roster. Then he won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year after notching 180 tackles, two sacks, three interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and two forced fumbles. The rest is history after that because those numbers became commonplace for Thomas over the next 11 seasons.

You want inspiring? Four of my most memorable moments watching Thomas could be labeled as just that. How about in the first half of his first career game he puts a hit on Patriots wide receiver Shawn Jefferson that left him motionless on the ground and ultimately knocked him out for the game? It was the hit heard 'round the league because from that point on, the NFL knew who Zach Thomas was. How about his 22 tackles in the 2002 Wild Card Playoff game against the Ravens? Doctors advised him to sit the game out because of fear that if he played he would sustain serious injuries to his already injured neck. The man's well-being was on the line and rather then sit and watch the fate of his team unfold before him, he went out and did everything he could to help them advance. How about the game clinching interception in the 2001 season opener in Tennessee? The Dolphins led the host Titans 24-16 with less than two minutes to play. Neil O'Donnell took over for an injured Steve McNair and tried to lead them to a last minute comeback. Thomas stepped into the flat, picked off O'Donnell's pass and ran it back for a touchdown, and even threw in a front flip as he crossed the goal-line. Lastly, how about the two stops he made on Falcons rookie phenom Michael Vick in the waning seconds in 2001? Thomas was underrated athletically, but there is no reason he should have been able to track down and stop Vick short of the goal line on consecutive plays from the one yard-line. But he did, preserving a 21-14 victory and clinching the final playoff spot he would have in his career as a Dolphin.

Zach Thomas will forever be a fan favorite in Miami and will have his jersey retired and name plastered in the Dolphins Ring of Fame at Dolphins Stadium as soon as he calls it a career. Thomas began his career as a long shot to make Jimmy Johnson's first Miami roster and finished it as the best linebacker in Dolphins history, and arguably a Hall of Fame linebacker. I'll never understand why he isn't a sure bet for Canton, but I hope to one day have a vote and I can assure you that Zach Thomas will get my vote every year until he is voted in. Name three linebackers who have been better then Thomas the past 12 years.. Tough isn't it? If you came up with any, how many of them led defenses that were constantly in the top-5 to 10 in the league? Ray Lewis. That's all I have. But wait... Zach has more tackles than anyone currently in the Hall of Fame. That has to count for something. The one thing writers say holds him back is his lack of playoff success, which again, has little to do with his play. If every player was as good and as dedicated and played with as much heart as Thomas did for Miami, he would've won the Super Bowl. Unfortunately it doesn't work like that, so please don't hold that against him.

I hope he does give it one more shot with a contender, as hard as it would be to see him in the middle of any defense other than Miami. In fact, sign with New England. Miami Herald's Dolphins beat writer Armando Sulguero wrote in his blog today that he hopes Thomas does anything but that. But why not? Junior Seau and Teddi Bruschi are unsigned and Thomas is better then both of them now and maybe ever, so there is room for him. And, while this past season showed nothing is guaranteed, the Patriots will be in the playoffs and will give him the best shot to win the ring he deserves. So you have my blessing Zach (I know how much that matters), and how could I not grant you that much after you granted me so many blessings on the field for the past 12 seasons? As usual, I am sad when another Dolphins legend leaves without the hardware because he was letdown by the other side of the ball and management in general. But unlike the other sports writers of the world, I won't hold that against you. Thanks for everything.

DTM