Today, Kansas City Chiefs Linebacker Derrick Thomas takes his rightful place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

It was a long time coming, but Derrick Thomas is finally there.

Unfortunately, Derrick Thomas passed away on February 8, 2000, from injuries he suffered from a car accident weeks earlier that left him paralyzed. I remember where I was the exact moment I heard the news of his death.

Former Chiefs General Manager, Carl Peterson, (who drafted Thomas) will speak on behalf of the Thomas family at the Hall of Fame ceremony.

I was able to see Thomas play several times at Arrowhead Stadium. I would find myself wanting the Chiefs defense to take the field because something special would happen with #58 on the field.

I was watching the game on TV when Thomas recorded seven sacks in one game and when he missed number eight, the Chiefs lost on a last second pass. Thomas did not talk about the seven sacks; he talked about the one he missed. He was that type of player.

A photo of Thomas sits proudly in my family room, while a #58 jersey is pinned to my wall – a reminder of a great player and of times when the Kansas City Chiefs were competitive. That was back in the days when visiting teams found it was hell to run an offensive play in Arrowhead Stadium, which was always blanketed with a sea of red on any given Sunday in the 1990s, while the smell of barbecue saturated the air around the stadium. Then, when the visiting team was able to run an offensive play, #58 would swing around the outside and pummel the quarterback into the turf while taking a calculated swing at the ball (many times causing a fumble) – and the Chiefs faithful would go wild. Good times. Good times.

There’s been a lot written about Derrick Thomas by sportswriters and fans – most of it is probably better than what I could say. But every year that Derrick Thomas would be up for selection for the Hall of Fame, I would take a few moments to write the reasons why I felt he should be one of the elites in Canton. I guess I was somewhat hoping that one of the voters would read my comments and their vote would be swayed Derrick’s way.

The yearly essays can now come to an end as one of my favorite football players is enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Congratulations to Derrick Thomas, his family, and Chiefs fans everywhere. Thanks for the 11-year ride Derrick. It was a wonderful time.