A Hall of Famer.... Yes I believe Zack Should definetly be a HOFER He played for 12 seasons and 7 of those he made the Pro Bowl and has over 1700 tackles. He was also selected as an ALL PRO first or second 7 times. I would say that makes him a lock for at least the second go around if not the first season eligible
To me he is, but I have a feeling he gets overlooked for a long time. He will be under-rated as an HOF candidate just like he was as a player.
Zach WILL get in. Maybe not the first time, but remember the HOF has some weird criteria and only a certain amount of guys can make it each year.
He will definitely get in but it will take a few attempts. He was a tackling machine and perennial pro bowler. When you spend over a decade being considered among the top at your position you have a great chance of finding yourself in the HOF one day.
Statistics say he clearly is but because he played his career in the shadow of ray lewis and brian urlacher he may not get it. He simply was overlooked even though he was as good as and sometimes better than those two linebackers.
There are currently 11 ILBs in the HOF. 10 of the 11 won a Super Bowl/NFL Championship (the other was some guy named Butkus). HOF voters value winning almost as much as stats and, unfortunately, Zach didn't play on many winning teams that went deep into the playoffs. I think the only way he gets in is if he's nominated by the Seniors Committee a la Dick LeBeau.
I would be surprised if he got in. Generally speaking if you have to ask yourself if a player is Hall worthy he isn't. As already noted He wasn't even the best at his position during the time he played much less be one of the best ever. I love the guy and enjoyed watching him play immensely but the only way I see Zach getting into the Hall is if he buys a ticket.
Well, he definitely is deserving of the honor. Put it this way...if it was up to me, he'd be a lock! Thanks for the memories Zach!
I think Zach will get in but he will have to wait a while. JT should get in on the first ballot. Kuech and Jake Scott also should be in.
He needed a ring or two to make the HoF a certainty. Now he's borderline, even though I'd much rather have Zach than Ray Lewis on my team.
Marty's got plenty to say about Kuech not being in. And I don't blame him. Kuech was good. IMO, they should just put JT in now.
Always trying to burst my bubble aren't ya stitches? Can't be swayed when it comes to JT. And I love Zach as much, he & JT were the face of our team for a lot of years.
IMHO he BELONGS in the HOF, however it is iffy and will take a few years if he does make it. How could you not put in someone with that much heart, attitude, work ethic, class and leadership? Because we never won anything of note the years he played here and he will be overshadowed by Ray Lewis and Urlacher who I wouldn't trade straight up for in both their prime years. Zach brought a LOT more to this team than the measurables and fancy stats, but sadly those things may not get him in, and that would be very sad indeed because he deserves to be there. Ross had BETTER sign Zach to a 1 day contract and have him retire as a Fin, and Zach's name had BETTER be on the Ring of Honor on Dolphins Stadium (whatever name it is this week). Otherwise we might have to send some boys from the docks to pay Ross a little "friendly" visit.
If ppl can forget John Offerdahl, they'll forget Zach as well. I'd take Offerdahl any day over Zach Thomas. Zach always had plenty of help, Offerdahl was an All Pro on a defense with no other talent.
zach changed football games not hard to understand really help or not lets not be too quick to forget about the defense in '92 offerdahl was a great player but had tons of help cox, oliver, griggs (rip), vincent, cross, williams that lack of talent you speak of helped get us to the AFC championship game
Zach relied on the big guys in front of him.....Offerdahl didn't need to. And the talent on most of his teams wasn't even close to what Zach played with for most of his career.
Unfortunately no. He never got the respect he deserved during his playing career from writers, I doubt he gets it in retirement either. I also think JT will struggle to get in btw. Both will be judged on the teams failure to go deep into the playoffs while they were here.
He is a first ballot HOF based on his numbers. No player in NFL history to lead the NFL for a decade in any statistical category has failed to make the HOF. (got that one from NFL network) JT led the 2000's in sacks. He is a lock.
For some reason only QBs are expected to singlehandedly win championships in a team game. And even those guys can get in without a title. I mean Warren Moon got in the Hall of Fame without a title or a million records like Marino. Same thing with Jim Kelly. Not winning a title will not hurt JTs chances. He was a dominant player for a decade, there is no way he doesn't make the hall of fame.
I would have thought Cris Carter and Shannon Sharpe were locks as well based on their numbers. Apparently not. Hell you could even argue Tim Brown should have been a lock based on numbers. How many years did it take John Randle to get in? He's probably the best pass rushing DT in the history of the league yet he had to wait nearly 10 years! Put it this way, it would not surprise me one bit if Strahan gets in and JT doesn't just based on the way Strahan's career finished, writers remember that stuff. With them it's all about how many rings you have, doesn't matter if the other 52 guys on the roster sucked, they still only count rings in most cases. Absolutely friggin stupid no doubt, but that is always the argument in the end.
It's sad that too many people who vote will vote on the celebrity of the name and avoid the games they played and to some the stats. That's why guys like John Randle have to wait 10 years. If Zach had a dance move like Ray Lewis or the mouth of Deon Sanders, he would be a 1st ballot guy.
Anyone that knows Zach and his history knows he should be in there! I don't know if he was popular enough to get in though, the popularity contest seems to play a big part in it. but I sure hope he gets in though, can't think of many players that deserve it more than him.
JT is a big name and he won a defensive MVP award. So basically in 2006 he was considered the best defensive player in the entire league. That's not even getting into his career numbers which are very good. He led the league in sacks in 2002. And not only was he good with sacks, I believe he has the most touchdowns as a defensive lineman as well. The guy is a difference maker in games and people know it. Zach was always an underdog but JT was always considered at or near the top of his position. Did Chris Carter or Shannon Sharpe ever have seasons as dominant at their respective positions as a couple of JTs? I don't believe they did. You'll probably see Zach have to wait to get in but I'd be shocked if JT wasn't on in the first ballot. Some of it depends on who he's up against. Two of the spots this year went to Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith.
My heart tells me yes, but my mind is telling me no. Do I believe he should be in the Hall of Fame? Your goddamn right I do. But will he get voted in? Most likely not.
That is a good question. For a long time he was one of the top 2 in the league at his position. The only reason I see him not making it is if he is just over shadowed too much by Ray Lewis.
