On February 8th, 2000, Derrick Vincent Thomas passed away.  The 1993 NFL Man Of The Year suffered a heart attack as a result of a blood clot that developed during his recovery from a car accident.  Being a Kansas City Chiefs fan, you can imagine my absolute shock and dismay to hear the news that one of the NFL's finest men on and off the field had been so tragically taken from this Earth. Derrick Thomas was the Chiefs' first round draft pick in 1989, out of Alabama.  Playing his entire career in Kansas City, Thomas racked up 126.5 career sacks, the most in team history and ninth in NFL history.  Derrick Thomas also collected 3 safeties, 45 fumbles, and 19 fumble recoveries... all Chief records.  Thomas, who collected 725 career tackles, holds the NFL record for most sacks in one game, with seven.
But with all of the numbers he collected, all of the great things Derrick Thomas did on the field, none of them match the man Derrick Thomas was off the field.  The nine-time Pro Bowler is famous for his Third and Long Foundation, an inner city reading program for kids in Kansas City.  On Saturdays before home games, Derrick Thomas would get up early in the morning, and drive to local libraries where he would read to inner city children.  In 1992, Thomas was given the first ever Distinguished Service to Education Award from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Education.  On July 16, 1992, Thomas was saluted by President George Bush as his 832nd Point of Light for exemplifying his beliefs that, "From now on in America, any definition of a successful life must include serving others." Derrick was the first (and only) NFL athlete to receive this award from President Bush.

I could go on and on about the things that Derrick Thomas did in his 33 short years on this planet... the lives he touched... the way he revolutionized the linebacker position... the things he did for his community... how unfair it is that he was taken from us so soon.  Instead, I think Chiefs GM Carl Peterson said it best...

"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. The biggest charity-giving guy there was possible. His philanthropic efforts, like I said, some don’t even know the extent of them. 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."

DT, we'll miss you.  As a player, as a friend, as a businessman, as a philanthropist.  Your words will forever be immortalized in our minds and hearts, as Heaven gains one of the greatest NFL players in history.........

"Dear Friends I wish that there were enough words in the human language to express my sincere gratitude and heartfelt thanks for all the well wishes, cards, letters, words of encouragement and prayers that I have received. I would also like to thank everyone who have made donations to my Third and Long Foundation, as well as anyone who have made donations on my behalf for Spinal Cord Injury Research. I wish that I could answer each and every one of you individually, but that would be near impossible. I would like everyone to know that I am going to be just fine. Please continue to keep me in your prayers, because an old friend of mine told me "When prayers go up blessings are sure to come down."