CLASS OF 2005 PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME FINALIST

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1 CLASS OF 2005 PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME FINALIST Born: January 1, 1967 Miami, Florida Died: February 8, 2000 Miami, Florida Alabama Draft (No ) NFL: 11 (11 with Chiefs) GP/GS: (169/158) Playoffs: (10/10) A CAREER OF ACCOMPLISHMENT Produced nine Pro Bowl berths in his first nine NFL seasons. Established Chiefs career records for sacks (126.5), safeties (3), fumble recoveries (19) and forced fumbles (45) during his stellar career. His sacks are the most in Chiefs annals, are the fourth-highest total ever produced by a linebacker and rank 10th overall in NFL history. Racked up his career sack total in just 11 seasons, the shortest span of any player that ranks in the NFL s all-time top 10 in that department. Still owns the NFL single-game sack record with 7.0 sacks of QB Dave Krieg vs. Seattle (11/11/90). Owns two of the top three sack games in NFL history, including a 6.0- sack performance vs. Oakland (9/8/96) that came six seasons after his record-setting 7.0-sack game in 90. Led the NFL with a franchise-record 20.0 sacks in 90, making him just one of six players in league history to own a 20.0-sack season. During his 11-year tenure with the Chiefs, the franchise suffered only one losing season, finishing first or second in the AFC West 10 times. With Thomas on the field from 89-99, Kansas City made seven playoff appearances, won three AFC West titles and reached the only AFC Championship Game in team history. Voted the Chiefs Most Valuable Player by his teammates in 91 and 94, an honor which is now known as The Derrick Thomas Award. Was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week a club-record eight times. Played in 10 postseason games in his 11 seasons, tying for the most playoff appearances in Kansas City history. Was named the NFL s Defensive Rookie of the Year and the Chiefs Mack Lee Hill Award winner in 89 after recording 10.0 sacks. A DECADE OF DOMINANCE A member of the Pro Football HOF s NFL All-Decade Team of the 90s, no NFL player registered more sacks from than Thomas (116.5). Thanks in large part to Thomas and the Chiefs defense, only San Francisco (113-47,.706) and Buffalo (103-57,.644) produced better regular season records than the Chiefs (102-58,.638) from Only five teams in NFL history have produced more regular season wins in a single decade than Kansas City (102) in the 90s. Was a key reason why Kansas City boasted the league s best turnover differential (+128) and the most takeaways (365) during the 90s. The Chiefs led the NFL in turnover differential an unprecedented four times from 90-99, doing it in 90, 92, 95 and 99. Served as the leader of a Kansas City defense that led the NFL in scoring defense in both 95 and 97, helping guide the Chiefs to 13-3 records and AFC West titles in each of those seasons. Part of a 95 Chiefs defense that ranked in the NFL s top five in each of the four major statistical categories for the first time in team history: scoring defense (1st ppg), total defense (2nd ypg), rushing defense (3rd ypg) and pass defense (5th ypg). Thanks to sacks from Thomas, Kansas City totaled sacks during the 90s, a figure topped by only New Orleans (472.0) and Philadelphia (443.0). From no team allowed fewer offensive points than KC (1,050). Is the only Chiefs player to make a regular season game appearance in three different decades ( 80s, 90s and 00s) for the franchise, seeing action in his 169th and final NFL game vs. Oakland (1/2/00). THOMAS NFL STATISTICS TACKLES SACKS INTS PASSES QB Year Team G-S Solos Asst. Tot. FR/FF No./Yds. No./Yds. Def. Pressures 1989 Chiefs /3 10.0/95.5 0/ Chiefs /6 20.0/ / Chiefs /4 13.5/ / Chiefs /8 14.5/ / Chiefs /4 8.0/50.0 0/ Chiefs /6 11.0/71.0 0/ Chiefs /2 8.0/57.5 0/ Chiefs /3 13.0/99.0 0/ Chiefs /3 9.5/56.5 0/ Chiefs /3 12.0/79.0 0/ Chiefs /3 7.0/65.0 1/ Totals / / / Additional Stats: Has four career touchdowns - a 23-yard fumble return at L.A. Rams (11/10/91), a fumble recovery in the end zone vs. Denver (12/27/92), an 86-yard fumble return at Seattle (12/5/93) and a 44-yard fumble return at Oakland (12/26/98). Has three safeties - vs. San Francisco (9/11/94), at San Diego (12/14/97) and vs. Oakland (9/6/98). Blocked a field goal vs. Pittsburgh (10/7/96). REGULAR SEASON SINGLE GAME CAREER HIGHS : 13 (six solo) at Cleveland (11/19/89) Sacks: 7.0 vs. Seattle (11/11/90)* 6.0 vs. Oakland (9/6/98) Safeties: 1 vs. San Francisco (9/11/94) at San Diego (12/14/97) Fumble Recoveries: 2 at Atlanta (9/18/94) Passes Defensed: 2 at Detroit (11/28/96) Interceptions: 1 vs. San Diego (10/31/99) QB Pressures: 13 vs. Oakland (9/8/96) Forced : 2, six times, Last at St. Louis (10/26/97) *NFL Record. POSTSEASON TACKLES SACKS INTS PASSES QB Year Team G-S Solos Asst. Tot. FR/FF No./Yds. No./Yds. Def. Pressures 1990 Chiefs /0 0.0/0.0 0/ Chiefs /1 2.0/13.0 0/ Chiefs /0 1.5/15.0 0/ Chiefs /2 3.0/19.0 0/ Chiefs /0 1.0/8.0 0/ Chiefs /0 0.0/0.0 0/ Chiefs /0 0.0/0.0 0/ Totals /3 7.5/55.0 0/0 2 4 : 7 (all solo) vs. Indianapolis (1/7/96) Sacks: 2.0 at Houston (1/16/94) Forced : 2 at Houston (1/16/94) POSTSEASON SINGLE GAME CAREER HIGHS Passes Defensed: 1 vs. Houston (1/16/94) vs. Indianapolis (1/7/96) QB Pressures: 4 vs. Indianapolis (1/7/96) STREAKS AND MILESTONES: Owns Chiefs career records for sacks (126.5), safeties (three), fumble recoveries (19) and forced fumbles (45). Shares a club record with 10 career playoff appearances and ranks fifth in team history with 728 career tackles.

2 DERRICK THOMAS VS. LAWRENCE TAYLOR CAREER COMPARISON DERRICK THOMAS LAWRENCE TAYLOR Kansas City N.Y. Giants 11 ( 89-99) SEASONS ( 81-93) GAMES PRO BOWLS SACKS SACKS PER GAME FORCED FUMBLES FUMBLE RECOVERIES TOUCHDOWNS SAFETIES A FRANCHISE S CORNERSTONE In the 17 seasons prior to Thomas arrival, the Chiefs made just one playoff appearance and produced just four winning seasons. In 11 seasons with Thomas on the field from 89-99, Kansas City made seven playoff appearances, won three AFC West titles, reached the only AFC Championship Game in team history and recorded 10 winning seasons. In the 29 seasons of Chiefs history prior to Thomas arrival, the franchise registered just six campaigns with 10 or more wins. In the 11 seasons of Thomas tenure, Kansas City matched that total of six 10-win seasons. When he made his initial Pro Bowl following the 89 season, Thomas became the first Chiefs outside linebacker to appear in that contest since Hall of Fame LB Bobby Bell did it following the 72 season. In addition to Thomas, only two other linebackers in Chiefs history have ever made the Pro Bowl and both are in the Hall of Fame Bobby Bell (Class of 83) and Willie Lanier (Class of 86). Joined the Chiefs as Kansas City s first-round selection (fourth overall) in the 89 NFL Draft, making him the first draft choice of the Carl Peterson era. He was the first linebacker ever selected by the Chiefs in the first round. Was the fourth overall selection in first round of 89 draft, selected after QB Troy Aikman (Dallas), T Tony Mandarich (Green Bay) and RB Barry Sanders (Detroit). A LASTING LEGACY Chiefs Founder Lamar Hunt presented Thomas with the 93 NFL Man of the Year Award, the league s most prestigious honor. Among Thomas many other notable philanthropic honors, in June of 95 he was the winner of the Byron Whizzer White Humanitarian Award for his service to his team, his community and his country. Was honored as former President George H.W. Bush s 832nd Point of Light in 92 and delivered the keynote speech at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial during 93 Memorial Day ceremonies in Washington, D.C. In August of 99, Thomas received the prestigious Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall of Fame Award at the 100th VFW National Convention in Kansas City. Thomas Third and Long Foundation is still active in the Kansas City community, continuing the reading and scholarship programs he began. In June of 2001, the Derrick Thomas Academy, a tuition-free public charter school was launched in Kansas City. The academy is the firstever public elementary charter school named in honor of an NFL hero. The memory of Thomas late father, Air Force Captain Robert Thomas, always burned brightly for D.T. The elder Thomas was shot down in Vietnam on December 17, 1972 on a mission ironically dubbed Operation: Linebacker Two. Dedicated a B-52 monument at Air Combat Command at Langley Air Force Base in April of 94, honoring all Air Force personnel who have died in B-52 bombers, including his father. A BIG PLAY PERFORMER Registered 27 multi-sack games in his career, including four games with 4.0 or more sacks and 10 contests with 3.0 or more sacks. The Chiefs were 22-5 (.815) when Thomas recorded more than one QB takedown and were an astounding 16-1 (.941) in Thomas multi-sack outings from Is the only player in NFL history to produce two separate games with 6.0 or more sacks. The Chiefs posted a stellar 10-1 (.909) record in games when Thomas registered a safety or forced a turnover that resulted in a defensive TD or a safety. Remarkably, Thomas forced a pair defensive scores in the same game twice during his career, including a win vs. Denver (12/27/92) that catapulted the Chiefs into the playoffs. Thomas scored on a fumble return and forced an INT that was returned for a TD in that contest. Collected a team-record three safeties during his career, including the legendary called shot safety in a 28-8 win vs. Oakland (9/6/98), a game in which he also tallied 6.0 sacks and forced a fumble that was returned for a TD. In total, Thomas registered seven defensive scores during his career, producing four TDs on fumble returns and three safeties. A total of 43 different NFL QBs were sacked by Thomas during his illustrious career. Thomas sacked Hall of Fame QB John Elway 17.0 times, more than any other player. Appropriately, Thomas got his 100th career sack off Elway in a thrilling win vs. Denver at Arrowhead (11/16/97). During Thomas 20.0-sack campaign in 90, on all the drives when Thomas recorded a sack, Kansas City s opponents scored a grand total of zero points. Those drives all concluded with either a turnover, a punt, the end of the half or the end of the game.

3 DERRICK THOMAS REMEMBRANCES Derrick s immense talent on the football field was matched by his caring and generous spirit in the Kansas City community. As both a football player and an individual, Derrick Thomas leaves a tremendously positive legacy that will permanently enrich everyone whose life he touched. NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue For me, my goals are a lot higher than just being a successful linebacker or being All-Pro. When my career is over, I want people to look back and view me as the best, or one of the two best to ever play the position. -- Derrick Thomas, 1994 He wanted to be three things in life. He wanted to be the greatest linebacker that ever played and I think he came pretty darn close to that. He wanted to be the greatest businessman that could possibly be out there and I know how hard he worked at that. But he also wanted to be the greatest philanthropist. Maybe that was his greatest accomplishment. I think all of Kansas City, the National Football League and all of America should be extremely proud of this young man. Life is not fair. Thirty-three years is not long enough. Chiefs President Carl Peterson I was on a mission today. I read in the paper that Derrick Thomas was in a sack slump. Thomas on his NFL-record 7.0 sacks vs. Seattle (11/11/90) Derrick the football player was a powerful competitor with remarkable talent and aptitude. He epitomized the heart, courage and spirit it takes to be an outstanding player. More importantly, Derrick Thomas the man was a philanthropist who gave so much to his family and his community. Denver Broncos Hall of Fame QB John Elway A lot of people get credit for a lot of things in the Kansas City organization and rightfully so. But I don t think, whatever you ll say about Derrick Thomas, he gets enough credit for filling Arrowhead week after week. I think I can speak for both sides, as a head coach, as an assistant coach and as an opponent, how frightened we were to come to Arrowhead and have to block him. Current Kansas City defensive coordinator and former Chiefs head coach Gunther Cunningham Derrick touched the lives of not only countless fans, but also those of his teammates, coaches and their families. He was confident in his abilities and envied no one. He had pride in his achievements. As a friend he was always thoughtful, sensitive and interested but never intrusive. He lived life to the fullest.yet those of us who were close to him and experienced his smile and laughter knew him to be a truly happy man. Through his good humor and attitude, Derrick brightened our days and affected us all more than we knew and only now that he is gone will we begin to realize the importance of his impact on our lives. Current Chargers head coach and former Chiefs head coach Marty Schottenheimer When you think of the Chiefs, you think of Derrick. He s one of the first guys you think of. He was a great player and a great human being. St. Louis Rams head coach Mike Martz To document it in the record books that the 100th came on Elway makes it more special because John is one of the best to ever play the game. Thomas on his 100th NFL sack vs. Denver (11/16/97) You know of all the players that I have been fortunate to be around, he s probably the one guy I have gotten closest to. My wife and I have said that he is probably the son we never had. He is a guy who has lived his life with a passion in everything he did. He didn t have a bad bone in his body he really didn t. Current Steelers head coach and former Chiefs defensive coordinator Bill Cowher Derrick epitomizes the youthful enthusiasm that we admire so much. He has always stood as a shining example to our young people to be committed and love whatever it is you do. My heart goes out to his family because this young man was loved and respected by all who came in contact with him. Arizona Cardinals head coach Dennis Green Derrick was in a class by himself as probably the best pure pass rusher I ve ever seen. Former Chiefs LB Marvcus Patton, the inaugural winner of the Derrick Thomas Award winner as the Chiefs MVP in 99. As a former teammate at Alabama, I enjoyed being around him in the unique atmosphere that football provides. He was a team leader in everything he did and he will be missed by everyone he touched. Alabama head coach Mike Shula

4 DERRICK THOMAS FOREVER A CHIEF

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6 DERRICK THOMAS FOREVER A CHIEF Chiefs Founder Lamar Hunts presented Thomas with the 93 NFL Man of the Year Award, the league s most prestigious honor. Thomas was voted the Chiefs Most Valuable Player by his teammates in 91 and 94, an honor which is now known as The Derrick Thomas Award. A Pro Bowler his first nine NFL seasons, Thomas owns more Pro Bowl berths than any other player in team history. The NFL s Defensive Rookie of the Year in 89 after recording 10.0 sacks, Thomas was also named the Chiefs Mack Lee Hill Award winner that year. Forty-three different NFL quarterbacks became victims of a D.T. sack during their careers, including San Francisco s Steve Young. Thanks to 3.0 sacks from Thomas, the Chiefs prevailed in QB Joe Montana s only head-to-head match-up against the 49ers in 94. A master of the sack and strip, Thomas holds Chiefs records for fumble recoveries (19) and forced fumbles (45). Thomas was honored as former President George H.W. Bush s 832nd Point of Light in 92 and delivered the keynote speech at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial during 93 Memorial Day ceremonies in Washington, D.C. The memory of Thomas late father, Air Force Captain Robert Thomas, always burned brightly for D.T. Ironically, the elder Thomas was shot down in Vietnam on December 17, 1972 on a mission dubbed Operation: Linebacker Two. Chiefs President, General Manager and CEO Carl Peterson tabbed Thomas with the fourth overall selection in the first round of the 89 NFL Draft out of the University of Alabama Thomas middle school English teacher, Mariam Williams, was named the NFL s inaugural Teacher of the Year in 92. Thomas collected a team-record three safeties during his career, including this called shot in a 28-8 win vs. the Oakland Raiders in the 98 season-opener, a game in which he also tallied 6.0 sacks. D.T. sacked Denver QB John Elway more times (26.0) than any other QB during his 11-year career. Appropriately, Thomas got his 100th career sack off Elway in a thrilling win vs. Denver at Arrowhead in 97. Thomas sacks are a Chiefs all-time record and rank 10th in NFL history. D.T. set the NFL single-game sack record with 7.0 QB takedowns vs. Seattle on Veterans Day in 90. Thomas led the NFL with a franchise-record 20.0 sacks in 90, the fifth-highest singleseason tally in league history. From 90-99, no other NFL player could top D.T. s sacks. Thomas took a victory lap around Arrowhead after the Chiefs clinched homefield advantage for the 95 playoffs after posting a 13-3 record and winning the AFC West title. D.T. registered the final sack of his career against Pittsburgh s Mike Tomczak in a win vs. the Steelers on December 18, It would also mark his 110th and final regular season victory in a Chiefs uniform. Thomas is the only player to make a regular season game appearance in three different decades ( 80s, 90s and 00s) for the Chiefs, seeing action in his 169th and final NFL game vs. the Oakland Raiders on January 2, 2000, just one day after his 33rd birthday.

7 2005 PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME FINALIST Born: January 1, 1967 Miami, Florida Died: February 8, 2000 Miami, Florida Alabama Draft (No ) NFL: 11 (11 with Chiefs) GP/GS: (169/158) Playoffs: (10/10) Pro Career: Pass rusher extraordinaire spent 11 glorious seasons in a Kansas City uniform... Without a doubt was the heart and soul of Kansas City s NFL franchise during his 11-year tenure in the Red and Gold... Despite departing this world on February 8, 2000, in the words of Kansas City Chiefs President, General Manager and Chief Executive Officer, Carl Peterson: Derrick Thomas will always be a Chief.... Thomas suffered serious injuries in a one-vehicle accident on icy roads on Interstate 435 near Kansas City International Airport on January 23, 2000, as he was en route to the NFC Championship Game in St. Louis... One man lost his life in the Thomas vehicle, while 10 other individuals were killed in a separate, 24-vehicle accident that same day just north of KCI on I After an overnight stay at Liberty Memorial Hospital, Thomas was moved to Jackson Memorial Hospital in his hometown of Miami the following day... Although confined to a wheelchair, Thomas had made substantial progress and was in good spirits when visited by Peterson on February 7th... I stepped out in the hall and coming down the hall was Derrick Thomas, in a wheel chair, but upbeat, recalled Peterson of his final encounter with Thomas. I said, Son, you re mobile. And he said, Father, I am. I ve got wheels.... The next day, Thomas condition took a shocking turn and at 10:10 AM (EST) on February 8th, he was pronounced dead after suffering cardiac arrest. February 11th was declared Derrick Thomas Red Friday in Kansas City... On February 14th, a tearful entourage of 22,750 mourners young and old filed past Thomas casket as it laid in state in the east end zone of Arrowhead Stadium. At exactly 12:01 PM, a B-2 Stealth Bomber provided by the 509th Bomb Wing out of Whiteman Air Force Base flew overhead... On February 15th at Kemper Arena, over 6,000 individuals attended a public memorial service for Thomas, including NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue... On February 19th, Derrick Vincent Thomas was buried in his hometown of Miami following a memorial service at that city s Mt. Calvary Church... Unquestionably, Thomas effervescent personality, his unforgettable smile, his unbridled spirit and his unquenchable thirst for life will live on in Kansas City, across the National Football League and around the globe through the memories of his countless friends and fans... Was not only a bona fide NFL star in terms of his contributions on the field, but more importantly, he also illuminated the lives of the countless individuals he touched through his Third and Long Foundation and other charitable endeavors... Designated by former President George H.W. Bush as his 832nd Point of Light for his efforts in the Kansas City community, Thomas received the National Football League s most prestigious honor when he was named the 93 Edge NFL Man of the Year for his community activities... Among Thomas many other notable philanthropic honors, in June of 95 he was the winner of the Byron Whizzer White Humanitarian Award for his service to his team, his community and his country and in August of 99, received the prestigious Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall of Fame Award at the 100th VFW National Convention in Kansas City... Finished his career with career sacks, the most in Chiefs history and the 10th-highest total in league annals... Racked up his career sack total in just 11 seasons, the shortest span of any player that ranks in the NFL s top 10 in that department... Thomas sack total ranks fourth all-time among NFL linebackers behind Kevin Greene (160.0), current Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor (132.5) and longtime New Orleans Saints standout Rickey Jackson (128.0)... Firmly etched himself among Kansas City s elite lineage of linebackers, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Willie Lanier and Bobby Bell at the linebacker post on the Chiefs 40th Anniversary Team, pairing with G Will Shields as the only other active player on that esteemed list selected by Lamar Hunt and Lamar Hunt, Jr. in For me, my goals are a lot higher than just being a successful linebacker or being All- Pro, Thomas said after the 94 campaign. When my career is over, I want people to look back and view me as the best, or one of the two best to ever play the position.... The individual Thomas viewed as the best to ever play the position was N.Y. Giants Hall of Famer, Lawrence Taylor. D.T. frequently hypothesized about how his career would stack up against that of the other linebacker who was known on an initials-only basis, L.T. And actually, Thomas

8 numbers compare quite favorably to Taylor s. In 13 seasons with the Giants from 81-93, L.T. played in 184 games, producing sacks and 10 Pro Bowl berths. In 11 seasons with the Chiefs, Thomas played in 169 games, recording sacks and nine Pro Bowl appearances. However, it was in the turnover department where D.T. truly overshadowed his counterpart. Thomas established Chiefs records with 45 forced fumbles, 19 fumble recoveries, four TDs and three safeties during his career, compared to 33 forced fumbles, 12 fumble recoveries, two TDs and no safeties for Taylor... After wearing #55 in college, he donned #58 for Kansas City, a number which would soon become synonymous with defensive excellence... Joined the Chiefs family as Kansas City s first-round selection (fourth overall) in the 89 NFL Draft, ushering in a new era in team history under Carl Peterson and Marty Schottenheimer... This is a beginning for Marty, myself and the Chiefs, Peterson said upon selecting Thomas... It was not only the beginning of Thomas NFL career, but it was also a rebirth for a Chiefs franchise which had made just one playoff appearance since 71, the last year the club won an AFC West division title... After Kansas City produced an mark to come just a half game shy of the playoffs in his rookie season of 89, Thomas helped the Chiefs flex their collective muscles the next 10 years... During his 11-year tenure with the Chiefs, the franchise suffered only one losing season, finishing first or second in the AFC West 10 times. Over that span, Kansas City made seven playoff appearances, won three AFC West titles and reached the only AFC Championship Game in team history... From 90-99, only San Francisco (113-47,.706) and Buffalo (103-57,.644) produced better regular season records than the Chiefs (102-58,.638)... Thomas joined C Tim Grunhard and G Dave Szott as three of only 26 players in NFL history to be on a club s roster for all 10 years of a 100-win decade... Was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame s NFL All-Decade Team of the 90s in July of During the 90s, no NFL player accumulated more sacks than Thomas, who racked up QB takedowns from Was also a key reason Kansas City won the NFL s takeaway/giveaway triple crown during the 90s as the Chiefs had the league s best turnover differential (+128), the most takeaways (365) and the fewest giveaways (237) from The Chiefs led the NFL with a +21 turnover ratio in 99 as the club recorded a positive takeaway/giveaway ratio every year in the 90s, joining Philadelphia ( 86-95) as the only other NFL club since the AFL-NFL merger to go 10 straight years with more takes than gives... The Chiefs were also the only team to lead the NFL in turnover ratio more than once in the 90s, doing it four times, going +21 in 99, +12 in 95, +18 in 92 and a team-record +26 in Was one of the NFL s most dominant defensive players and could single-handedly influence the outcome of a game, forcing opponents to constantly account for him... I think I can speak for both sides, as a head coach, as an assistant coach and as an opponent, how frightened we were to come to Arrowhead and have to block him, added Gunther Cunningham, who served as Thomas defensive coordinator from and his head coach in Produced nine Pro Bowl appearances following the seasons, a total that has only been topped in Chiefs annals by 10-time Pro Bowl G Will Shields... Faced constant double and triple-teams throughout his career, but still managed to get to opposing quarterbacks with ferocious frequency... Established franchise career records for sacks (126.5), safeties (3), fumble recoveries (19) and forced fumbles (45) during his stellar career in the Red and Gold... His 20.0 sacks in 90 set a Chiefs single-season mark and were the most in the league, while his 7.0-sack game in 90 set an NFL single-game record... Came one sack shy of tying that mark with a 6.0-sack effort in the 98 season-opener... Also owns a share of another team record with 10 playoff appearances along with John Alt, Grunhard and Szott... Ranks fifth all-time in Chiefs history with 728 career tackles, as well... Pounced on opposing quarterbacks a club-record times, racking up a remarkable yards in losses... Led the Chiefs in sacks seven of his 11 seasons with the club, getting 7.0 QB takedowns in 99 and 12.0 in 98 to pace the squad his final two years in Kansas City... Was the longest-tenured player on the Chiefs roster at the time of his death... Became the only player in team history to play in three different decades for the Chiefs when he saw action in his final NFL game vs. Oakland (1/2/00)... Served as the pillar around which Peterson rebuilt the Chiefs franchise, as Kansas City produced a remarkable 10 winning seasons in Thomas 11 years with the club... Was named the Chiefs Most Valuable Player following the 91 and 94 seasons... In March of 2000, Peterson announced that at the suggestion of Clark Hunt, the Chiefs Most Valuable Player Award would subsequently be known as the Derrick Thomas Award. Marvcus Patton became the first player to receive that honor under its new designation, the only linebacker other than Thomas ever to be named the club s MVP... Has received the league s two most prestigious humanitarian awards ( 93 NFL Man of the Year and 95 Byron Whizzer White Humanitarian Award)... Became the 15th member of the NFL s illustrious sack club in 97. Thomas, former Chiefs DE Leslie O Neal and current Tampa Bay DE Simeon Rice are the only three members of that fearsome 22-member fraternity to attain that plateau in less than 10 seasons, each doing it in their ninth NFL campaign... Appropriately, his 100th sack came against QB John Elway in a 2.0-sack performance vs. Denver (11/16/97). Thomas took down that Hall of Famer 17.0 times, more than any other quarterback during his 11 NFL campaigns... Got his 50th career sack vs. Dallas (10/18/92), reaching that milestone in his 54th game, quicker than any linebacker ever did it and faster than all but two players in league history (DE Reggie White - 40 games & DE Mark Gastineau - 43)... Returned four of his club-record 19 fumble recoveries for touchdowns... His signature sack and strip move would become a Thomas trademark

9 which others attempted to duplicate but could never master quite like Thomas... Was truly accomplishing in separating the ball from opponents, as evidenced by his 45 career forced fumbles (4.1 per season)... Although forced fumbles were only compiled by the Chiefs since 82, Thomas 45 are by far the most in team history, topping former teammate DE Neil Smith who is second with Of Thomas 45 forced fumbles, 34 came on quarterbacks, with 20 being recovered by Kansas City, including four that resulted in touchdowns... Had at least 7.0 sacks in all 11 of his pro seasons and had 10.0 or more sacks seven times... Registered 27 multi-sack games in his career, including four games with 4.0 or more and 10 with 3.0 or more. The Chiefs were 22-5 (.815) when Thomas recorded more than one QB takedown and were an astounding 16-1 (.941) in Thomas multisack outings from Established the NFL single-game sack record, getting 7.0 vs. Seattle (11/11/90) to break San Francisco DE Fred Dean s previous mark of 6.0 (11/13/83)... His 20.0 sacks in 90 led the NFL and are the fifth-most ever in a season... Exactly 83.5 of his sacks (66.0%) came at Arrowhead Stadium... Was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week a club-record eight times, topping QB Joe Montana who earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors six times and WR Dante Hall who has received AFC Player of the Week accolades seven times on special teams... Durable performer missed just six of a possible 169 career games due to injury, sitting out just two games during his first eight pro campaigns... Played in all 16 games in seven of his 11 pro seasons... Started 158 of the 169 regular season contests he saw action in for the Chiefs, meaning there were only 11 games he played in that he did not start... Finished his career with 728 tackles (558 solo), sacks ( yards), 45 forced fumbles, 19 fumble recoveries, a blocked field goal, a blocked PAT, four touchdowns and three safeties... Also produced 444 quarterback pressures and 34 passes defensed... Got his lone pro interception in his 11th and final NFL campaign, getting a 20-yard return off San Diego QB Jim Harbaugh in Registered 10 career playoff appearances (all starts), logging 37 tackles (36 solo), a Chiefs playoff record 7.5 sacks (-55.0 yards), to go along with four forced fumbles and four quarterback pressures. 1999: Started all 16 games at left outside linebacker, recording 77 tackles (56 solo), a teamleading 7.0 sacks (-65.0 yards), his lone pro INT, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, 32 QB pressures and five passes defensed... Led the club in sacks for the seventh time in his 11 seasons... Was one of seven defensive starters to open all 16 contests... Registered three tackles and two QB pressures at Chicago (9/12)... Tallied 10 tackles, two QB pressures, one pass defensed vs. Denver (9/19). Also registered his trademark tripleplay, getting a sack (-8.0 yards), strip and fumble recovery off Brian Griese... Collected five tackles, a QB pressure and a pass defensed vs. Detroit (9/26)... Posted four solo tackles at San Diego (10/3)... Recorded three tackles vs. New England (10/10), plus a sack (-8.0 yards) and strip of Drew Bledsoe (-8.0 yards)... Tallied three solo tackles, three QB pressures and one pass defensed at Baltimore (10/21)... Produced his first career INT off Jim Harbaugh vs. San Diego (10/31), registering a 20-yard runback to the Chargers seven-yard line. Also posted five solo tackles, a sack of Harbaugh (- MOST SACKS, CAREER Years Sacks 1. Bruce Smith Reggie White Kevin Greene Chris Doleman Richard Dent John Randle Leslie O Neal Lawrence Taylor Rickey Jackson Derrick Thomas Clyde Simmons Michael Strahan Sean Jones Greg Townsend Pat Swilling Note: Sacks became recognized as an official NFL statistic in 82. NFL LEADERS SACKS MOST SACKS, GAME 7.0 Derrick Thomas Kansas City vs. Seattle /11/ Fred Dean San Francisco vs. New Orleans... 11/13/ Derrick Thomas Kansas City vs. Oakland /6/ William Gay Detroit vs. Tampa Bay /4/83 MOST SACKS, SEASON 1. Michael Strahan, N.Y. Giants, Mark Gastineau, N.Y. Jets, Reggie White, Philadelphia, Chris Doleman, Minnesota, Lawrence Taylor, N.Y. Giants, Derrick Thomas, Kansas City, MOST SACKS, Derrick Thomas, Chiefs Kevin Greene, Panthers Bruce Smith, Redskins Reggie White, Packers Chris Doleman, Vikings Leslie O Neal, Chiefs

10 8.0 yards), one QB pressure and a pass defensed in a 34-0 shutout of the Chargers... Registered a sack of Peyton Manning (-6.0 yards), four tackles (three solo) and a team-high four QB pressures at Indianapolis (11/7)... Tallied four tackles and a QB pressure at Tampa Bay (11/14)... Produced two solo tackles and one QB pressure vs. Seattle (11/21)... Captained the defense and posted four solo tackles at Oakland (11/28)... Tallied seven tackles and two QB pressures at Denver (12/5)... Captained the defense and recorded four solo tackles and five QB pressures vs. Minnesota (12/12). Also collected a sack and strip of Jeff George (-18.0 yards) and another sack of George (- 9.0 yards) for his 27th career multi-sack game... Captained the defense and produced the final sack of his pro career, taking down Mike Tomczak (-8.0 yards) vs. Pittsburgh (12/18). Also registered eight tackles and two QB pressures... Captained the defense posting four tackles, four QB pressures and one pass defensed at Seattle (12/26)... Captained the defense along with CB James Hasty in the 169th and final game of his NFL career vs. Oakland (1/2/00). Produced seven tackles and two QB pressures in the overtime loss, becoming the only player in Chiefs history to play a regular season game in three different decades, and one of just 18 NFL players to play a regular season game in the 80s, 90s and 00s. 1998: Competed at the club s Falcon post in 15 games with 10 starts... Registered a team-high 12.0 sacks (-79.0 yds.) and added 54 tackles (44 solo) to go along with two fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles, a pass defensed and 26 QB pressures... Took home AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors after a monster game in the season-opener vs. Oakland (9/6), recording 6.0 sacks (-36.0 yards) of Jeff George. That sack tally tied him for the second-highest single-game total in league history, coming only one sack short of his own NFL record of 7.0 set vs. Seattle (11/11/90). One of those sacks of George came in the end zone for his club-record third career safety. Forced George to cough the ball up on one of those sacks, as well... Recorded an 11-yard sack of Ryan Leaf, forced one fumble and recovered another vs. San Diego (9/20)... Tallied eight tackles (six solo) at New England (10/11)... Played, but did not start at the Falcon position vs. the N.Y. Jets (11/1) and notched a sack of Vinny Testaverde (-7.0 yds.)... Tallied a season-high 10 tackles in a reserve role at Seattle (11/8), registering one sack of Warren Moon (-7.0 yds.) and four QB pressures... Served a onegame suspension at San Diego (11/22)... Returned to the starting line-up at Denver (12/6)... Recorded one sack of Troy Aikman (-3.0 yds.) in a reserve role vs. Dallas (12/13)... Started at Oakland (12/26), picking up two sacks (-15.0 yds.), taking down Wade Wilson and George one time apiece. Also scooped up a Donald Hollas fumble forced by DE Leslie O Neal and rambled 44 yards for a score, his first TD since 93. The fumble recovery was the 18th of his career, giving him the Chiefs all-time record. 1997: Suffered an injury to his left triceps tendon during training camp and missed the most extensive action of his NFL career, sitting out four games, yet still managed to produce 9.5 sacks to earn his ninth straight Pro Bowl bid... Saw minimal action in the season s first two games and sat out the next four contests with that malady, but rebounded to produce another Pro Bowl campaign and a berth on the All-Madden Team... Played in 12 games (10 starts), recording 55 tackles (34 solo), 9.5 sacks (-56.5 yards)... Did not record a fumble recovery for the first time in his career, but did have three forced fumbles, two passes defensed and 34 QB pressures... Suffered a strained left triceps tendon on July 25th when he was locked up against New Orleans Saints All-Pro T Willie Roaf in a workout in La Crosse, Wisconsin and could only work on his aerobic conditioning for the remainder of training camp and the preseason... Along with a bulky arm brace, made his debut at the Falcon position in passing situations at Denver (8/31), recording one tackle... Played a similar limited role the next week at Oakland (9/8), getting three stops... With his injury not improving, the Chiefs opted to give it more time to heal, relegating Thomas to the inactive list for the next four contests vs. Buffalo (9/14), at Carolina (9/21), vs. Seattle (9/28) and at Miami (10/5)... Returned to the line-up for his first start of the season vs. San Diego (10/16), nabbing four QB hurries and two tackles... Rediscovered his Pro Bowl form with his first sack of the year (-7.0 yards) on Tony Banks, along with two forced fumbles and six stops at St. Louis (10/26)... Enjoyed a milestone game vs. Denver (11/23), becoming only the 15th player in NFL history to post 100 sacks, registering 2.0 sacks (-18.0 yards) of John Elway to go along with a season-high 10 tackles... Had a monster day at San Diego (12/14), producing eight tackles, four QB pressures and a season-high 3.0 sacks (-9.0 yards), his 24th career multi-sack game and his ninth contest with three or more QB takedowns. Took down Todd Philcox in the end zone to record the second safety of his career to tie DTs Bill Maas, Joe Phillips and Dan Saleuamua for the team record... Named AFC Defensive Player of the Month in December... Started the club s AFC Divisional Playoff Game vs. Denver (1/4/98). 1996: Garnered his eighth straight Pro Bowl nod... Was a first-team All-NFL pick by USA Today and a second-team All-NFL choice by AP... Selected first-team All-AFC by UPI and Football News... Recorded a team-high 13.0 sacks, his most since 92 (14.5), tying for second in the AFC and fourth in NFL... Also contributed 58 tackles, three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, a blocked field goal, four passes defensed and 47 quarterback pressures in 16 games (15 starts)... Had five 2.0- sack outings: at Houston (9/1), vs. Oakland (9/8), vs. Green Bay (11/10), vs. Chicago (11/17) and at Buffalo (12/22); the Chiefs won all but the Bills game... In a 19-3 win vs. Oakland (9/8), one sack forced a fumble which James Hasty returned 80 yards for a touchdown and another sack caused a fumble which resulted in a safety... In that game he also had

11 seven tackles and a season-high 13 QB pressures en route to AFC Defensive Player of the Week accolades... Had at least four tackles in nine games and five or more in six contests. 1995: Earned his seventh straight Pro Bowl appearance, his first as a non-starter... Was a second-team All-AFC choice by UPI... Played stack linebacker position in 95 after playing the base spot over the tight end in Registered 71 tackles (sixth on team), eight sacks (second), two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, four passes defensed and 54 quarterback pressures (fourth)... Started 15 games, missing just the second game of his career (at Miami, 12/11) with a groin injury... Broke a string of 81 straight games played dating back to Had two sacks vs. N.Y. Giants (9/10) and 2.5 at Arizona (10/1), upping his total of multisack outings to Had three games with six or more stops, including a season-high nine vs. Seattle (9/3) and at Cleveland (9/24)... Had seven stops, four pressures and a pass defensed in playoffs vs. Indianapolis (1/7/96). 1994: Enjoyed the finest season of his distinguished NFL career, earning a sixth straight trip to the Pro Bowl, his sixth as a starter and his second Chiefs MVP Award... Was a second-team All-NFL pick by AP... Corralled a career-high 86 tackles, 11.0 sacks, a team-high six forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, 45 quarterback pressures, five passes defensed and a safety... The 86 tackles were good enough for fourth place on the club... Dispelled the myth that he does not perform well on natural surfaces by getting 9.0 of his 11.0 sacks on grass fields, including 7.0 at Arrowhead which abandoned its AstroTurf surface following the 93 campaign... Best performance was an eight-tackle, 3.0-sack, one-safety outing in a win vs. San Francisco (9/11); had a fourth sack taken away by an intentional-grounding call. Was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts against the eventual Super Bowl champions... In a win at Atlanta (9/18) the next week, he was credited with five stops, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a sack... Became the Chiefs alltime sack leader vs. L.A. Raiders (11/16), bypassing DE Art Still (72.5)... Had six tackles and a sack in playoff loss at Miami (12/31). 1993: Assumed new rushbacker position, a linebacker/defensive end hybrid and played it well enough to land his fifth straight Pro Bowl nod... Earned one of pro sports most prestigious awards by being named the Edge NFL Man of the Year for both his community service and on-field exploits... Was a second-team All-NFL pick by AP and College & Pro Football Newsweekly... Named to the All-AFC squad by UPI... Improved his play against the run as the team allowed just rushing yards per game, the club s lowest yield since 71 (95.5)... Had a 8.0 sacks as teammate DE Neil Smith topped the league with Also added 43 tackles, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, a team-high 47 quarterback pressures and a blocked PAT... Had three tackles, 2.0 sacks and two forced fumbles vs. the L.A. Raiders (10/3)... Returned a fumble recovery 86 yards for a touchdown at Seattle (12/5)... Was outstanding in the playoffs, recording 10 tackles, 3.0 sacks and three forced fumbles... Racked up three tackles, 2.0 sacks, two forced fumbles and deflected a pass in an upset win at Houston (1/16/94) in an AFC Divisional Playoff Game, snapping an 11-game Oilers winning streak. 1992: Selected to start for the AFC in the Pro Bowl for the fourth year in a row... Was a first-team All-NFL pick by NEA and The Sporting News, and was named All-AFC by UPI, Pro Football Weekly and Football News... Made the All-Madden Team for the first time, as well... His 14.5 sacks were the second-highest total of his career, a mark that led the team for the fourth straight year (DE Neil Smith also had 14.5). That total also tied for the second-most ever by a Chief, and third-most in AFC, sixth-most in NFL in Contributed 67 tackles, the sixth-most on the club, a team-leading eight forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, including one for a touchdown, 27 QB pressures, and two deflected passes... Had one 4.0-sack effort (Chargers - 11/8) and two 3.0-sack games (Eagles - 10/11 and Broncos - 12/27)... Against San Diego (11/8), he had 4.0 sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in the first half alone of a victory en route to AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors... Put on another brilliant exhibition in the season finale vs. Denver (12/27), when he had five tackles, 3.0 sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery for a touchdown; also hit QB John Elway as he was throwing, forcing an errant pass that was intercepted and returned for another touchdown... Had a strong playoff showing at San Diego (1/5/93) with three tackles and 1.5 sacks. 1991: Continued his impressive run through NFL offenses, earning his third straight Pro Bowl start... Named All-NFL by AP, The Sporting News, College and Pro Football Weekly, and Pro Football Weekly... Took home unanimous All-AFC honors... His 13.5 sacks led the club for the third straight year and tied for second in the AFC (with DE Simon Fletcher and behind DE William Fuller) and fourth in the NFL (behind LB Pat Swilling, Fuller and DE Reggie White)... His 4.0-sack, two-forced fumble effort on Buffalo s Jim Kelly (10/7) earned him AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors... Has a knack for being around the ball as evidenced by his four forced fumbles and four recoveries, including one returned 23 yards for the winning touchdown in a victory at the L.A. Rams (11/10). It was his first NFL score... Was sixth on the club with 79 tackles and second on the team with 43 quarterback pressures. Also knocked down two passes... Tackled a punter before a kick vs. Denver (11/17)... Registered 3.0 sacks in a tough loss vs. Denver (11/17)... Collected a pair of sacks in 19-6 win at Seattle (12/1)... Had two sacks and a forced fumble in the playoffs... Missed more than half of the Chiefs home playoff victory over the L.A. Raiders (12/28) after experiencing an increased heart rate. He was hospitalized for treatment and observation for the increased heart rate which was diagnosed as atrial

12 fibrillation. He was released from St. Luke s Hospital less than 24 hours after being admitted... Returned to action the following week in the club s playoff loss at Buffalo (1/5/92) and added a sack. 1990: Had a simply miraculous sophomore NFL season, earning his second Pro Bowl appearance and All-NFL recognition... Named first-team All- NFL by Pro Football Writers Association, AP, Pro Football Weekly, The Sporting News, NEA, College & Pro Football Newsweekly and Football Digest... Was a first-team All-AFC selection by UPI... Led the NFL with a team-record 20.0 sacks, the sixth-highest total in league history. The only players to compile more sacks in a season are DE Michael Strahan (22.5 in 2001), DE Mark Gastineau (22.0 in 84), DE Reggie White (21.0 in 87), DE Chris Doleman (21.0 in 89) and LB Lawrence Taylor (20.5 in 86)... Remarkably on those drives when Thomas recorded a sack, opponents scored a grand total of zero points. Those drives all concluded with either a turnover, a punt, the end of the half or the end of the game... Established an NFL record with 7.0 sacks in a game on Dave Krieg vs. Seattle (11/11), breaking DE Fred Dean s old mark of Had the eighth sack in his grasp on final play of game, but Krieg got free and launched a 25-yard TD pass to WR Paul Skansi to register the game-winning score in a decision. Was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week despite loss... Forced a teamleading six fumbles during the season, recovering two... Made 63 tackles, including 47 solos... Also had five pass deflections and 35 quarterback pressures... Had three sacks at Indianapolis (10/7) and two each vs. Cleveland (9/30) and vs. Denver (12/9)... Made three solo stops in a playoff contest at Miami (1/5/91). 1989: Became a dominant force on the Chiefs defense in first NFL season... Consensus Defensive Rookie of the Year, winning that honor from Associated Press, Pro Football Weekly, College and Pro Football Newsweekly and NFL Players Association... Became first Chiefs outside linebacker to go to the Pro Bowl since Bobby Bell in Started his first Pro Bowl... Won the Mack Lee Hill Award, which annually goes to the Chiefs top rookie or first-year performer... Named the AFC s top linebacker by the NFLPA... Was an All-NFL selection by Sports Illustrated and was a secondteam All-Pro pick by College and Pro Football Newsweekly... Was a first-team All-AFC choice by UPI... Finished tied for seventh in the AFC with 10.0 sacks, the most by a Chiefs linebacker since 73 when the team started keeping the statistic and the most ever by a Kansas City rookie... Tied with S Kevin Ross for fifth on the team with 75 tackles... Also contributed three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and four pass deflections... In addition to 10 sacks, he also had a team-high 55 quarterback pressures... Earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors in just his second NFL game, a win vs. the L.A. Raiders (9/17) when he got seven tackles, 2.5 sacks and one forced fumble... Started Oakland Seattle Denver San Diego Buffalo Green Bay Tennessee Chicago Cleveland John Elway Dave Krieg Jeff George Jim Kelley Jay Schroeder Stan Humphries Rick Mirer Steve Young Brett Favre Randall Cunningham Vince Evans Warren Moon Todd Philcox Jack Trudeau John Friesz THOMAS SACK VICTIMS Regular Season By Team Indianapolis Philadelphia San Francisco Arizona Dallas N.Y. Giants St. Louis New Orleans Atlanta Regular Season By Quarterback Bobby Hebert Troy Aikman Dave Brown Chris Chandler Billy Joe Hobert Jeff Hostetler Bernie Kosar Wade Wilson Tony Banks Drew Bledsoe Bubby Brister Boomer Esiason Jim Everett Gus Frerotte Bob Gagliano Cincinnati New England N.Y. Jets Pittsburgh Washington Jacksonville Minnesota Jeff Kemp Ryan Leaf Don Majkowski Frank Reich Mark Rypien Kelly Stouffer Vinny Testaverde Billy Joe Tolliver Mike Tomczak Mark Brunell Bobby Hebert Todd Marinovich Mike Pagel

13 all 16 games at right outside linebacker, but also lined up at middle linebacker and defensive end... Made all 10.0 sacks in first 10 games, but in final six outings DEs Neil Smith and Leonard Griffin registered a combined 8.5 sacks... In a win vs. Seattle (11/5), he showed his typical dominant style with a sack, forced fumble and fumble recovery on Dave Krieg that helped set up a field goal... Had 2.0 sacks on John Elway in loss vs. Denver (11/12)... Made a season-high 13 tackles, including two for losses and a season-high eight QB pressures vs. Cleveland (11/19)... His sack total of 10.0 was just 2.5 QB takedowns shy of the then-nfl rookie sack record owned by DE Leslie O Neal... Thomas rookie sack total did surpass the 9.5 accumulated by LB Lawrence Taylor... Was the fourth overall selection in first round of 89 draft, selected after QB Troy Aikman (Dallas), T Tony Mandarich (Green Bay) and RB Barry Sanders (Detroit)... Remains the only linebacker the Chiefs have ever drafted in the first round. College: Was one of the most dominant defensive players in the country as a college senior at Alabama... Regarded as the nation s finest pass rusher during junior and senior seasons... Set a school career record with 52.0 sacks and a total of 74.0 tackles behind the line of scrimmage... Other collegiate career totals included: 204 tackles, 12 forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, nine deflections, five blocked kicks, one safety and one touchdown... A unanimous first-team All- America pick... Won the 88 Butkus Award as the best collegiate linebacker... Finished 10th in the Heisman voting... Had a career-high 5.0 sacks as a senior vs. Texas A&M... Had 67 tackles and a school-record 18.0 sacks as a junior... Made 30 tackles and 4.0 sacks as a sophomore and 19 stops and 3.0 sacks as a freshman... Wore jersey #55 for the Crimson Tide... Posthumously received his bachelor s degree in Criminal Justice and Social Welfare from the University of Alabama on May 13, Personal: Earned all-league honors at South Miami High School in Miami, Florida... Played tight end and running back in high school before settling at linebacker... Established an inner-city reading program with his Third and Long Foundation in As part of the literacy program, he read to children at local libraries each home Saturday during the season... The "Third and Long Foundation" is still active in the Kansas City community, continuing the reading and scholarship programs he began... Served as the Chiefs United Way spokesperson for numerous years... His English teacher at Miami s Palmetto Middle School, Miriam Williams, was the winner of the 91 NFL Teacher of the Year Award... Appeared in Hank Williams, Jr. s 92 video, Come on Over to Country... Designated by former President George H.W. Bush as the 832nd point of light for his reading program and met Bush in Kansas City on September 11, In recognition of all his community efforts, he was named the 93 Edge NFL Man of the Year, perhaps the league s most prestigious honor... In June of 95, he was selected the winner of the Byron White Humanitarian Award for service to team, community and country; it is the most prestigious award given by the NFL Players Association... Won the 94 Genuine Heroes Award, given by Trinity College in Chicago... Delivered the keynote address at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial during the Memorial Day ceremony in 93; past speakers at the Wall have included General Colin Powell, Bob Hope, former Vice President Al Gore and former Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rocky Bleier... The son of Edith Morgan and Air Force Captain, Robert Thomas... Was five years old when his father s plane was shot down while it was returning from a mission in Vietnam on December 17, 1972 on Operation: Linebacker Two... His father was declared legally dead in In August of 99, Thomas received the prestigious Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall of Fame Award at the 100th VFW National Convention in Kansas City. Thomas received that honor in large part due to his support of Operation Uplink, a program which provided prepaid phonecards to active duty U.S. troops and veterans across the globe... Thomas had frequently flown and trained with Air Force pilots and was scheduled to participate in another training session with the Air Force in Dedicated a B-52 monument at Air Combat Command at Langley Air Force Base in April of 94, honoring all Air Force personnel who died in B-52 bombers, including his father... Was intrigued by the events surrounding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and was well-versed in the numerous theories surrounding JFK s death... Mayor Emmanuel Cleaver designated December 11, 1991 as Derrick Thomas Day in Kansas City... In 92, received the University of Missouri - Kansas City s Distinguished Service to Education Award... Took classes at the University of Missouri - Kansas City as he worked toward his college degree, which he posthumously received from the University of Alabama in May of Was a board member for the National Council on Crime and Delinquency, Ronald McDonald Children s Charities of the Heart of America and the Heartland Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)... Was honored for his efforts on behalf of the Juvenile Court Centennial Initiative on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on June 6, In June of 2001, the Derrick Thomas Academy, a tuition-free public charter school was launched in Kansas City. The academy is the firstever public elementary charter school named in honor of an NFL hero. In 2004, a football field was completed at DTA thanks to a $400,000 grant from the NFL... Coordinated annual drives among Chiefs players to buy food baskets and distribute them at Thanksgiving and Christmas to inner-city families... Participated in countless other charitable endeavors, many of which will remain known only to Derrick... Full name: Derrick Vincent Thomas... Resided in Independence, Missouri during his tenure with the Chiefs and returned to his hometown of Miami, Florida where he was buried on February 19, 2000.

14 THOMAS NFL STATISTICS TACKLES FUMBLES SACKS INTS PASSES QB Year Team G-S Solos Asst. Tot. Rec. For. No./Yds. No./Yds. Defensed Pressures 1989 Kansas City /95.5 0/ Kansas City / / Kansas City / / Kansas City / / Kansas City /50.0 0/ Kansas City /71.0 0/ Kansas City /57.5 0/ Kansas City /99.0 0/ Kansas City /56.5 0/ Kansas City /79.0 0/ Kansas City /65.0 1/ Totals / / Additional Stats: Has four career touchdowns - a 23-yard fumble return at L.A. Rams (11/10/91), a fumble recovery in the end zone vs. Denver (12/27/92), an 86-yard fumble return at Seattle (12/5/93) and a 44-yard fumble return at Oakland (12/26/98). Has three safeties - vs. San Francisco (9/11/94), at San Diego (12/14/97) and vs. Oakland (9/6/98). Blocked a field goal vs. Pittsburgh (10/7/96). : 13 (six solo) at Cleveland (11/19/89) Sacks: 7.0 vs. Seattle (11/11/90)* 6.0 vs. Oakland (9/6/98) Safeties: 1 vs. San Francisco (9/11/94) at San Diego (12/14/97) Fumble Recoveries: 2 at Atlanta (9/18/94) Passes Defensed: 2 at Detroit (11/28/96) Interceptions: 1 vs. San Diego (10/31/99) REGULAR SEASON SINGLE GAME CAREER HIGHS QB Pressures: 13 vs. Oakland (9/8/96) Forced : 2 vs. Buffalo (10/7/91) vs. San Diego (11/2/92) vs. Denver (12/27/92) at Atlanta (9/18/94) vs. Oakland (9/8/96) at St. Louis (10/26/97) *NFL Record. POSTSEASON TACKLES FUMBLES SACKS INTS PASSES QB Year Team G-S Solos Asst. Tot. Rec. For. No./Yds. No./Yds. Defensed Pressures 1990 Kansas City /0.0 0/ Kansas City /13.0 0/ Kansas City /15.0 0/ Kansas City /19.0 0/ Kansas City /8.0 0/ Kansas City /0.0 0/ Kansas City /0.0 0/ Totals /55.0 0/0 2 4 : 7 (all solo) vs. Indianapolis (1/7/96) Sacks: 2.0 at Houston (1/16/94) Forced : 2 at Houston (1/16/94) POSTSEASON SINGLE GAME CAREER HIGHS Passes Defensed: 1 vs. Houston (1/16/94) vs. Indianapolis (1/7/96) QB Pressures: 4 vs. Indianapolis (1/7/96) STREAKS AND MILESTONES: Owns Chiefs career records for sacks (126.5), safeties (three), fumble recoveries (19) and forced fumbles (45). Shares a club record with 10 career playoff appearances and ranks fifth in team history with 728 career tackles. LEGENDARY LINEBACKERS JIM LYNCH, WILLIE LANIER, BOBBY BELL Derrick Thomas unquestionably entrenched himself as the most recent in a long lineage of legendary linebackers to take the field for the Chiefs. A finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005, Thomas could join fellow Chiefs LBs Bobby Bell (Chiefs Hall of Fame - 79, Pro Football Hall of Fame - 83) and Willie Lanier (Chiefs Hall of Fame - 84, Pro Football Hall of Fame - 86) in Canton. Along with Jim Lynch (Chiefs Hall of Fame - 89), Bell and Lanier defined Kansas City s dominating defenses of the late 60s and early 70s. Lynch and Lanier were roommates for 11 seasons with the Chiefs. The duo joined the club as second-round draft picks in 67 and retired together in 77. Bell came to the club as a seventh-round pick in 63 before retiring in 74. Thomas was posthumously enshrined in the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2001.