Derrick Thomas

For the British agricultural researcher, see Derrick Thomas (agricultural scientist). For other people, see Derek Thomas (disambiguation).

Derrick Thomas
refer to caption
Thomas with the Chiefs
No. 58
Position:Linebacker
Personal information
Born:(1967-01-01)January 1, 1967
Miami, Florida, U.S.
Died:February 8, 2000(2000-02-08) (aged 33)
Miami, Florida, U.S.
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:255 lb (116 kg)
Career information
High school:South Miami
(Miami, Florida)
College:Alabama (1985–1988)
NFL draft:1989 / Round: 1 / Pick: 4
Career history
Career highlights and awards
NFL record
  • Most sacks in a game: 7
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles:641
Sacks:126.5
Safeties:3
Forced fumbles:41
Fumble recoveries:19
Interceptions:1
Defensive touchdowns:4
Player stats at PFR

Derrick Vincent Thomas (January 1, 1967 – February 8, 2000), nicknamed "D. T.", was an American football linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). Considered one of the greatest pass rushers of all time,[1] he played 11 seasons with the Chiefs until his death in 2000. Thomas played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, where he won the Butkus Award, and was selected fourth overall by Kansas City in the 1989 NFL draft. During his career, he received nine Pro Bowl and two first-team All-Pro selections, and set the single-game sacks record.

After the Chiefs' 1999 season, Thomas was rendered paraplegic by a car crash and died two weeks later from a pulmonary embolism. He was posthumously inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2014.

  1. ^ "Top 10 pass rushers in NFL history". NFL.com. October 7, 2008. Archived from the original on February 6, 2009. Retrieved February 1, 2009.