Thomas to be honored with celebration
The Miami Dolphins will host a weekendlong celebration to recognize legendary linebacker Zach Thomas on his recent induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The festivities will be highlighted by a halftime ceremony and ring presentation during the Dolphins’ Sunday matchup against the Carolina Panthers at Hard Rock Stadium.
“We are proud to honor Zach for his accomplishments and excited to celebrate him alongside his family, teammates and Dolphins fans this weekend,” Dolphins vice chairman, president and CEO Tom Garfinkel said in a statement. “Zach’s leadership, worth ethic and dedication to this franchise and the South Florida community throughout his 12 seasons as a Miami Dolphin exemplify why his legacy is now forever cemented in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It is our pleasure to celebrate Zach as we congratulate him on this incredible feat and recognize him as one of the greatest Dolphins of all time.”
Thomas will be joined on the field by Dolphins owner Steve Ross and the president of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Jim Porter, for the ring display. The ring is set in 14-karat gold with a total diamond weight of 1.75 carats. Thomas will also address the fans in attendance during the halftime ceremony.
Also Sunday, Thomas will be an honorary captain, on the field for the pregame coin toss, and he will have a pregame tailgate with fellow Dolphins alumni.
Before Sunday’s game, Thomas will get a private reception Saturday alongside his family, former teammates and members of the organization at the team’s training facility adjacent to the stadium. It will include the unveiling of his jersey alongside the franchise’s 10 other members of Hall of Fame. Later that evening, the Dolphins will host a celebratory VIP party at the MIA Autodrome Paddock Club, part of the organization’s F1 racing track at the stadium.
The celebration will conclude at the Fort Lauderdale Country Club on Monday, where partners and former Dolphins players will enjoy the Alumni Weekend Golf Tournament.
Thomas was inducted into the Hall of Fame in August. The touted middle linebacker had a decorated career that included seven Pro Bowl selections, the most all-time by a Dolphins defender, five firstteam All-Pro nominations and 1,734 career tackles, which rank fifth in NFL history (since records began in 1987).
A fifth-round draft pick by Miami in the 1996 NFL draft, Thomas quickly established himself as one of the league’s top players, winning the AFC Defensive Rookie of the Year award that season. He went on to lead the NFL in tackles twice, lead the Dolphins in tackles 10 times, earn two Dan Marino Team MVP awards, three Don Shula Leadership honors and was named NFL Linebacker of the Year a pair of times. Thomas was Miami’s middle linebacker during a run of seven straight seasons (1998-2004) that the Dolphins finished top 10 in total defense.