Sadly, the media constantly loved and fawned over Urlacher, from the point that he was in college until the day he retired, while Zach was almost always a side note. None of us need to have it argued that Zach is just as worthy. The fact that he gets ignored even after the logjam has passed is tragic.
Zach Thomas was a guy who I always thought as a kid exemplified the way you play the game at a high level. Intelligence, preparation, hard work and a motor that never quits. Not only that but he was undoubtedly the glue that held our defenses together. If we won a single Superbowl he would be first ballot.
He has several strikes against him. 1) His low draft position and the lack of hype that surrounded his first two or three seasons. 2) He went about his job in a business like manner. There was almost no showboating the way Ray Lewis or Brian Urlacher did. 3) No SB ring. 4) Playing a position that doesn’t generate a lot of high profile stats like sacks. Some positions like MLB, DT, interior OL and safety are just under-represented in the HoF. Zachary played an un-sexy position and retired without a SB ring. He didn’t have a hype train telling everyone he was great. I think he was a better MLB than Ray Lewis because I think while he made slightly fewer “splash” plays I cannot remember Zach gambling and getting caught out of position the way Ray Lewis sometimes did. However HoF voters remember the hype and the splash plays and the SB rings.
You're probably right, but that is such total nonsense. Zach destroys Tedy in every single way. Bruschi only started all 16 games four times in his career, and more than nine games three others. And a huge percentage of his production came in a tight window from 2002-2004.
I think he and Ray were equals with different strengths to their games. Unfortunately people see those splash plays and dont remember the times you were out of position.
Probably because he wasn't a loudmouth showoff - sad when someone who was drafted on day 3 with no hoopla and worked/studied his arse off to be one of the best in history at his position can't get any love from the HOF voters or pundits