Is Thomas Hall of Fame bound?

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

It worked for Singletary.

Being the second best player on the 85 bears is different then being the 2nd best player on 07 dolphins. 

[Pappy13]

I'm not putting Zach in the hall either, I just think that because he didn't play for a great defense is a pretty weak reason not to put him there.

And if playing with Taylor and Surtain hurts Zach, why wasn't Singletary hurt by playing with Hampton (who also is in the hall) and Fencik and Dent who probably should be.  I don't buy that.  By that reasoning you have to throw out either Singletary or Hampton, they both can't be there...but they are.  Not to mention Payton is there too who just happened to play on the '85 bears team as well and they were coached by Ditka who is there too.

No there's no reason you can't put multiple players from the same era or even the same team in the Hall.  The greatness of one does not overshadow the greatness of the others, if anything they perhaps help each other.  I'd love to see Taylor and Thomas go in as a pair one day.  Probably never happen, but if it did, it couldn't have happend to a better pair of guys.

My family is all from Chicago as well.  I'm the only Dolphins fan and I won $20 off my brother on that Monday Night game in 1985.  One of my fondest momories of all time.

[Pappy13]

Being the second best player on the 85 bears is different then being the 2nd best player on 07 dolphins. 

And you don't get into the hall based on 1 year either.

[bsfins]

I'm not putting Zach in the hall either, I just think that because he didn't play for a great defense is a pretty weak reason not to put him there.

And if playing with Taylor and Surtain hurts Zach, why wasn't Singletary hurt by playing with Hampton (who also is in the hall) and Fencik and Dent who probably should be.  I don't buy that.  By that reasoning you have to throw out either Singletary or Hampton, they both can't be there...but they are.  Not to mention Payton is there too who just happened to play on the '85 bears team as well and they were coached by Ditka who is there too.

I just can't agree with this......Zach again is known for the Grunt work (Sideline,to sideline tackler) on defenses that weren't that great...Jason Taylor most notably known for being the play maker.

While Dent should be in there Playing with the other players hurt him IMO.

Singletary also brings 2 time defensive player of the year, to add to his pro bowls,and all pro accomplishments.....Was known as the Man on the 85 defense, (Even though Perry was biggest character) Great team, arguably the best of all time,can have multiple HOFs from the Same era Jason Taylor,I'd put 85% chance he makes it,Zach 40% chance....

[Spider-Dan]

Zach is a 7-time All-Pro, with 5 of those being first team.

When you have been judged to be the best ILB in the league for 5 different years, there is no way to spin that as mediocre.

If you are judging individual statistics, compared to his peers:

PLAYER TKL SK INT FF
Lewis- 1349 36.5 28 14
7 First Team All-Pro, 2 Second Team All-Pro, 11 Pro Bowls
Seau- 1524 56.5 18 11
6 First Team All-Pro, 3 Second Team All-Pro, 12 Pro Bowls
Thomas- 1106 20.5 17 16
5 First Team All-Pro, 2 Second Team All-Pro, 7 Pro Bowls
Urlacher- 816 37.5 17 8
4 First Team All-Pro, 0 Second Team All-Pro, 6 Pro Bowls

Thomas should definitely get in before Urlacher does.

[bsfins]

Zach is a 7-time All-Pro, with 5 of those being first team.

When you have been judged to be the best ILB in the league for 5 different years, there is no way to spin that as mediocre.

If you are judging individual statistics, compared to his peers:

PLAYER TKL SK INT FF
Lewis- 1349 36.5 28 14 Defensive Player of the year 2000,2003
7 First Team All-Pro, 2 Second Team All-Pro, 11 Pro Bowls
Seau- 1524 56.5 18 11
6 First Team All-Pro, 3 Second Team All-Pro, 12 Pro Bowls
Thomas- 1106 20.5 17 16
5 First Team All-Pro, 2 Second Team All-Pro, 7 Pro Bowls
Urlacher- 816 37.5 17 8
4 First Team All-Pro, 0 Second Team All-Pro, 6 Pro Bowls 2005 Defensive Player of the Year

Thomas should definitely get in before Urlacher does.

I have to add something your stats forgot,Zach also has Zero Super bowl appearances.....The others all have at least one...It's perception,There are only 19 Linebackers in the Hall of Fame...Not MLB's, Linebackers...I think There's a chance, but it's an up hill battle...

Derrick Brooks retired in 2008,I'm curious to see how he fairs in the HOF voting....

[Spider-Dan]

Losing in the Super Bowl is a credit on your resume?  Someone should inform Dan Marino.

[bsfins]

^ It is when Zach hadn't sniffed the playoffs the last 7 years of  his career......Gets cut from a 1-15 team,that goes to the playoffs the next year,after they cut him.....

[Defense54]

He is in like Flynn...........On top of his outstanding play, he has outstanding character. A man among boys.

[Pappy13]

PLAYER TKL SK INT FF
Lewis- 1349 36.5 28 14
7 First Team All-Pro, 2 Second Team All-Pro, 11 Pro Bowls
Seau- 1524 56.5 18 11
6 First Team All-Pro, 3 Second Team All-Pro, 12 Pro Bowls
Thomas- 1106 20.5 17 16
5 First Team All-Pro, 2 Second Team All-Pro, 7 Pro Bowls
Urlacher- 816 37.5 17 8
4 First Team All-Pro, 0 Second Team All-Pro, 6 Pro Bowls

Where did you get your stats for Tackles?  It's a tricky subject because stats on tackles prior to 2001 were not compiled by the league, they were compiled by the teams themselves.  Thomas is credited with over 1700 tackles by the Dolphins and I believe he was listed at 4th all time, Seau being one of those ahead of him, but not Lewis.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Losing in the Super Bowl is a credit on your resume?  Someone should inform Dan Marino.

Being one win away from hoisting a Lombardi is more a credit on your resume than being one over time win from tying the '76 Bucs. 

A disporoprationate number of players in the HOF have SB rings.   Even more like Marino have conf championships to their credit.  You need to be knock your socks off better than everyone else in your group to get in without having gone deep into the playoffs. 

[Pappy13]

I just can't agree with this......Zach again is known for the Grunt work (Sideline,to sideline tackler) on defenses that weren't that great...Jason Taylor most notably known for being the play maker.

And yet Zach has 17 INT's to his credit, Taylor only 8.  Zach returned 4 of those for TD's, Taylor only 3.  I don't have any numbers on Fumble Recoveries, I believe Taylor is ahead there.  Taylor is far ahead in sacks, but Zach is far ahead in tackles which is just the nature of the inside and outside linebacker positions.  In my opinion Zach was very much a big play guy and they both played on the same defense so if the defense wasn't that good, than you can blame both Taylor and Thomas.  I think your selling Zach short and I believe the reason is because Zach got much of the early credit for the sucess of the Dolphins D from '96 thru '99.  Taylor came on in 2000 with 14 sacks and became the face of the D after that, but Zach was it first.  He was voted AFC defensive rookie of the year in '96.  You don't get that by just being a grunt.

[Spider-Dan]

^ It is when Zach hadn't sniffed the playoffs the last 7 years of  his career......Gets cut from a 1-15 team,that goes to the playoffs the next year,after they cut him.....

Jason Taylor's playoff drought was just as long, and MIA made the playoffs the year after he was gone, too.  Does this mean JT is also not qualified for the Hall?

[bsfins]

^^ Then you can say Zach had a great 5 year run, not a great career....Comparing Zach to Jason, doesn't fly either....Jason is running up the all time sack list 127.5 sacks 43 Forced fumbles,6 of those for Td's....Taylor has the stats,and the honor of Defensive player of the year,to add to the All Pros,and the Pro bowls on his HOF resume.


You know what's so sad about this whole conversation,I'm a Dolphins fan,and watched just about every game from 2000 till this past year.You guy's can't convince me (Who's just on the fence) that he's truly hall of fame worthy,Who's going to stand up for Zach in the Hall of fame committee? Who' going to convince the people that didn't see Zach all that often,the ones that covered other teams. I know Peter King is a fan of Zachs.

Look at the list of of candidates that didn't make the HOF this year, Chris Carter,Tim Brown Top 5 in career catches,yards,Td's etc etc. Neither first ballot,HOF...Ray Lewis,Junior Seau,and Brian Urlacher  (then I even mentioned Derrick Brooks) have already been mentioned as possible HOF candidates that are Zach's contemporaries...
Then look at all these guy's that didn't make it this year,but were finalist....
http://www.profootballhof.com/enshrinement/2009/9/19/2010-preliminary-nominees---by-position/

Depending on who retires when,and who does get in off this list,ALL affect Zach getting in the HOF.

[Spider-Dan]

Where did you get your stats for Tackles?

pro-football-reference.com