After years of waiting...and waiting...and waiting, fans of the Miami Dolphins finally will get a chance to see one of the greatest to ever wear the No. 54 jersey enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
Legendary linebacker Zach Thomas was selected after being one of the 15 finalists for possible enshrinement, with the Class of 2023 announced during the annual NFL Honors broadcast Thursday.
Selected in the fifth round of the 1996 NFL Draft, Thomas was the league’s Rookie of the Year before leading the Dolphins in tackles in 10 of his 12 seasons with the team. He set Miami’s team record with four interceptions returned for touchdowns and was voted an All-Pro seven times while being voted to seven Pro Bowls.
Thomas is in his tenth year of eligibility to be inducted and has been a finalist each of the last three seasons before being selected as a finalist for the fourth time in 2023.
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Thomas becomes the 13th former player who spent time with the Dolphins to be selected for the Hall of Fame and the first since his former brother-in-law and teammate Jason Taylor in 2017.
A total of nine enshrines, including former Florida A&M star player and coach Ken Riley, will formally be inducted in early August. Three former Miami Hurricanes stars - Reggie Wayne, Devin Hester and Andre Johnson - were not selected.
