The Audible Ep. 99 | Zach Thomas

on the game. And you know, it's funny these two weeks off and and you know, you that there's such a void between Championship weekend when you got the two great games, right and there were two really really good games to watch, and then you got that two weeks before the super Bowl starts and that week, that Pro Bowl week where where it's just like the there's like a void of of information coming out little dribs and drabs all of a sudden when they show up that

when the two teams show up to town, it's a uh, it's a flood of information going around. Information, misinformation, rumors, scenarios, all kind of anything. You can imagine. It has been going on over this past week. You know. Way it's so much fun to gear up for Super Bowl after a week of kind of like the duldrums you know, you go up and you said, you're right. You get so excited for those championship games because you know the winner is gonna get their chance at the ultimate prize,

was just being a world champion. And then you kind of go through and you fight through that week and now all of a sudden, it's here and you don't want it to end, you know, you, like you said, you go through that Monday where all both teams face the media and they have a night uh you know at Marlin's Park, and then they kind of get through

their routine, you know, their normal practice routine. They're normal meeting routines, and and the coaches kinda put the final touches on their game plans, and I'm sure they were doing a lot of work during that downtime, you know, to finalize and get a game plan where they felt like they were gonna, you know, become victorious on Sunday night.

So it's a long road and it's a long way to go, but I bet those guys, you know, times flying for those guys, because before you know it, it it will be Sunday morning and they'll have the butterflies and they're ready to go and and that's probably the hardest time waiting and aching up and waiting for that kickoff that's gonna be around six thirty on Sunday. Yeah, I

think early in the week. I can remember when when you know, I have the opportunity to go twice and and and ended up on the wrong end of the stick on on that thing. And it's funny because people ask you, you you know, they asked been asked this a number of times. You know, you you go to a super Bowl and you lose, would you rather have not gone or or go and lose? And I said, yeah, I would rather not even go. I mean, you know, it's for that one team that loses. I mean, it's

it's a it's a it's gut wrenching. It is a gut wrenching blow and it's awful. It's it and it never leaves you to this day. I walk around the two championships that we lost in Canada. It's like, you scratch and we could have won both those games, a chance to win, and you kind of go through plays and you go through, uh, different things that you would have done differently or hope that they would have changed

the outcome of the game. But You're right. It's gut wrenching and it stays with you for a long you know what I tell you, to this day. I mean, you know, I I played in eight two and eighty four. You know that's you know, decades ago. Um, but it's still bother me to watch the Super Bowl to this day.

You know, I watch it. I watch it like everybody else, But when I watch it, there's a there's there's a hole in me, there's something missing inside of me, because you know, having been there, having had the opportunity only to to fumble it away twice, uh, and just having that memory linger with you. And you know I got especially you know, leading up into the super Bowl. You know they're playing super Bowl. Here it comes this game. Here's this game, here's that game, and you know every

now and then you walk by your eye. Geez, I don't watch what game again, you know, forget it. But much less, much less a second game after that, you know, because you know, you know how it is. Well, it's like when you're watching tape and being a player, you know that play is coming, is coming again, and there's nothing you can do about it, and you have to kind of sit through it. But now we're adults. We can walk out of the room exactly. We don't change

the station. Forget that. I don't go. Yeah, I'll go back, and I'll go further than that. You know, I got my my mother in law when I was playing, uh, taped almost every one of our games, you know, and she was up in New Jersey, and so you know, she got a lot of the games up there, and

then she put them on VCR. Right, So I've got these VCR tapes and don't you know who, God knows who has a VCR recorder now, but you know, he goes, we why don't you get them all turned into two DVDs and stuff for CD s. I'm sure you can get them digitally or whatever. And uh, I go, I

don't want him. I don't, I can't. I can't. Well, I'm talking about I'm talking about like a like a third week of the season in the nineteen eighty eighty one or something where you played Tampa Bay in some you know, random, random, meaningless game and I slide it

in for a minute, I watched like one series. I can't watch this, I know, because I know it's kind of I remember I missed the tackle here, and you know, and I'm afraid if I watch it all here, the echoes of Don Sholey in my ear make that Yeah, it never goes lay. Never five years old and it still doesn't go away. Still, I remember I could pick up any game, put it on and watch it and go turn it off because I know I made it. I got I know there's I got something coming up.

I don't want to see. You know what's funny. My high school buddies and I we went and played golf the other day and we were reliving one of the plays from St. Thomas at Minus when we were sixteen years old, about George Smith getting choked on the on the court on the phones running down the sidelines because

I changed the player in the huddle. You know, it was a time we used to shuttle players in and out so that you know, the fullback would come in and another fullback would go out, or a wide receiver would come in, a wide receiver would go out. Well, my best friend comes in at wide receiver and he goes, yeah, he wants the old man wants to run thirty one. That's trap. But I'm I'm gonna be open on the corner. I said, let's run the corner. So we call the play.

We changed the play, and all of a sudden, I see George running down the sideline and instead of the chords falling off of his head, they felt on his Adam's apple and he almost went right. Yeah, he almost went down, and he we no one wanted to go to the sidelines after that. It's it's funny, you know, It's funny you mentioned that because I was I was

at a deal. I did a deal a couple of years ago with the like a reunion of my senior my high school football team of my senior year, and they had like twenty five guys there, which was awesome, and guys I hadn't seen. She's some of those guys I hadn't seen since since the day I left to go to college, you know, and and so to come back.

And it's funny because the conversations were and I don't know where all got off on this tangent, but anyway, the conversations were, you know, they go, guys, hey, Kim, you remember that, remember we were playing uh, you know Mount Pleasant High School, you know, in the third quarter, and I'm going brod A lot of games under the h but but but but for them, you know, for guys that that's visit where their their last game, their

senior year, that was it. That's where there, that's where their football life ended for the rest of their life. So those memories of those games that they played in year or are crystal clear to the crystal clear to me. I'm like, you know, I remember when that school was, you know, but yeah, we won that game, did yeah? Yeah? Yeah, you remember it was thirty four to seventeen. You know, we came here. You know, well, I don't know why.

I guarantee the guys playing on Sunday for the World Championship will remember the good plays, he'll remember the bad plays, the remember the ones in between for the rest of their lives. And it's one of those things where, man, if you're playing in that game, how badly you want to win that game? You know what? And to you look, you know you we we could sit down and we'll

talk about the games. We'll talk about the forty Niners and you know, can the forty Niners run the football like they've done and be effective against you know, against Kansas City. Got Chris Jones coming back for them, and he played last We're the last game and he got out healthy, so they got one of the big run stoppers back. You know, can can Pat Mahomes, you know, do the things that he done, He's done against that San Francisco defense, especially with that front four that they've got.

You know, well, we'll talk about all that stuff as we go on. But but you know it's funny, you can you can break these and look, you watch NFL Network, you watch ESPN, you watch any of these shows, and it's gonna be it is gonna be broken down to

the most minute thing you can think of. And if I was to put an umbrella over the game and say this is what's gonna decide the game, it's gonna be the team that takes the game more seriously then the ancillary stuff that's going on around you with the Super Bowl, and it's easy to say that, hey, when I get there, no, no, we're gonna be focused. But when you know, when you when you remember playing in the first Super Bowl, played and we went to the hotel and you know, checked in, got our keys, got

everything you have to go in. Like if you're a Nike guy, you went into the Nike you know, and you got your goodie bag, and then all the T shirts and stuff they're getting in and then you go up the room, and then and then you come down and all of a sudden, the elevators open up, and

the lobby is packed with people. It's family, it's friends, it's people looking to scalp tickets, it's it's agents, it's the people you tell me you yeah, and so I mean, so, so you've got all this going on, and it's to me, it's the team that can filter that out, the team that can push that aside and not get caught up in it to the point where you get into a game. It's a second quarter, but man, we're in the super Bowl. You're gonna get you know something, you know, So so

that that that to me. I think these games, you know, like I said, on an umbrella, looking at it overall or or one or lost by the team that can focus the best this week. They both focused last week when they're on the on their home, in their home facilities, they put in their game plans. They talked about what they're gonna expect for the week of the Super Bowl. Don't get into this, don't do this, don't do that.

All that, but then when you you yeah, yeah, yeah, yea, I got it, I got it, and then all of a sudden you get here and and and you know, in Pandora's box opens up, Well, you're right. And you have two different styles of coaching too. You have a young coach that's in his very first Super Bowl and you know he's he's has the confidence of being able to capture a world championship because he feels like he

has the best team. And then you've got a veteran coach that's trying to put a stamp on his legacy and Andy Reid, uh, you know, compared to Kyle Shanahan. So there's there's two different spectrums on maybe how they approached that week off in terms of, hey do this, don't do this. This is how I want you to go. I want you to not not to change a thing from the way you've approached every game, you know, go leading up to us getting a chance to win a

Super Bowl. And then you may have Andy Reid's wisdom and knowledge of, hey, I want you to do this because we found out this was best. You know, this is the way we approached We we went one route. It didn't really work out for us. So you have that to consider, you know, how how the mentality of these teams are are coming into Super Bowl week with a young coach that you know, is his first time against the veteran coach. That boy, if he wins a super Bowl, you can see him, you know, maybe one

day being a Hall of Famer. Yeah. Yeah, speaking of Hall of Fame, and we're gonna get a chance here a little bit later on the program, UH to to talk to who we we hope is gonna be a Hall of Famer. Uh Saturday, the day before the Super Bowl begins, Zach Thomas. You know, Zach up for the Hall of Fame. He's down to the final fifteen five five guys go in and when you look at the

landscape there, you feel pretty good about Zack's opportunity. So we'll get a chance to talk to Zak and and about what that may mean to may mean to him, and hopefully will mean to him. Is that happens, and so just another thing that goes on during the course of this week. And you can forget about a lot of the stuff, you know, if you're an NFL nerd, if you're a guy that just just just guy or

girl or what are that that just lives and breathe it. Um. It's a great place to be around the Super Bowl, especially it's on our own backyard, and you know it's gonna be traffic and there'sna be a lot of people. And I don't necessarily want to get involved in in

the traffic and in too much to that stuff. But well, if you're if you're a fan that hasn't been around it, um, I would I would implore you to go down and just even if you don't have tickets for and just go down to be around it, be around for the attack. Some patients, yeah, back, some patients head down the convention center.

They got the you know, the the NFL experience going on and just about everywhere you go, and you got radio exactly just where you're gonna run into players and and and and celebrities and and and every It's become such a you know, it's amazing when when and I keep going back to when my experience, because that's what I don't like got is you know when when when I had the opportunity to play, I thought it was I thought it was amazing how big it was, how

big the super Bowl was it looks that looks like that looks like an NFL pre squad inter squad scrimmage compared to what the Super Bowl is now and the size and the scope and the hype and the and the events and the way the NFL has taken this thing and really turned it into you know, you can talk about World Cups, and you can talk about Olympic Games, and and they the NFL has put this game in the you know, in the stratus of of of all of those games, is the biggest sporting events in the world.

You can't talk about it without throwing the Super Bowl right right there around the top of it. Well, it's it's a destination, you know. They they've made it a destination for football fans from all over the world. Really, you know now that there's games in Mexico, and there's been games in London, and there's been games you know, all over the world in terms of trying to garner that fan awareness and and that passion for the sport

of of American football. And like you said, from from the eighties to the nineties to the early two thousands, we've seen this game kind of morph into not one week, not two weeks, but the entire season, you know, because as soon as it ends, they're talking about the you know, the next destination and where you're gonna go and how much fun it's gonna be, you know, in Tampa, in l a Or in Atlanta, wherever, you know, wherever it's

gonna be held in the next couple of years. And Minneapolis, Minneapolis, Detroit, No, you can keep going. But I mean it's unbelievable the fan base, and they're already thinking about the next one. You know, I'm gonna get taken. I'm gonna go here, and we're gonna go We're gonna spend the whole week. You know, there's only a week between that game and and the super Bowl. You know, the championships that year, so they're already plotting out where they want to go.

I think they're I think there are Wednesday super Bowls, and there were Monday super Bowls. The Wednesday super Bowls are Minneapolis or you know, cold Weather play. Where are you going they put a super Bowl here? I'll wait until Wednesday. Go Miami in San Diego, you know, the Bay Area. Hey, let's go out there Monday. Then we can do a lot of stuff. Well, especially if you're living in Chicago, you're living in the the East, in Boston,

you want to get out of the cold. If you're thinking about let me, if you're if you're if you're in um you're in North Dakota, if you're in New York, if you're anywhere on the Eastern Seaboard, if you're in the you know, in Colorado or whatever, and you're sitting there and it's it's snowing or it's freezing, and all of a sudden, on you know, you're you're you're playing, You're gonna go to the super Bowl. Yeah, but I

think I'm gonna go Thursday. And all of a sudden you flip it on and you look at like absolutely beautiful. They got the beast, the palm trees. Hey, can we you guys want to go tomorrow? The hell out of here and go tomorrow. You don't have to check the weather channel, that's for sure. So speaking of that, you know all the side. And again, Miami to me, why in Miami is not on a regular rotation for this game is to me? To me, the best to me, if I was to pick, would be it would be Miami.

It would be New Orleans, it would be San Diego and probably now with the with the uh forty Niners and you stand probably the Bay Area up there, probably the Vegas. I can't I can't imagine that that might be a two week but but anyway, but so this is this is one of places. So nowhere is no

what it's gonna be. Now, the question is, John, when you look at this football team used for this football game, whether to you can make a easy to make a We could sit here and go for ten minutes and you take Kansas City and I'm gonna take Fancisco, and we'll tell each other why that that team is gonna win, and then we can flip it over and I can tell you the same I can tell you why the other guy is gonna win. You know. So it's one of those games which I think, to me, I think

this is uh, I thought, I thought. I heard yesterday that this game one point spread is the lowest lowest point spread total of any of any Super Bowl. Is that close? That's amazing? And when we really do, when you dive in and you look at the teams, the names, you know, the quarterbacks, everybody knows, you know, the defensive ends for for each team, or are key defensive players

everybody knows, but it's the running backs. Go Okay, yeah, this guy was all right with Miami and Damian Williams, or this guy was you know, this guy was on five teams just a couple of years ago for San Francisco. So so you you don't really have familiarity, but you do in terms of the way they play. And if you follow the those two teams throughout the regular season, you know that they have fought adversity. You know, they're not coming in with you know, just one loss or

or two losses on the season. They've been able to, you know, kind of get back after they've stumbled and get back into their winning ways and get on a role a little bit. And especially when the playoffs started, you know, with the Dolphins beating New England and having Kansas City be able to stay at home, you know throughout the playoffs really helped them because in their two games they fell behind and they kind of needed that home field advantage to get that crowd going and get

themselves back into the football game. And for San fram the same way, only their wins have been more dominant. It seems like you know, they they felt like they handled their business a little bit more clean. I guess cleaner in Kansas City did. But I just think it's gonna be one of those games where the quarterbacks are gonna have a lot to say, but the defenses are gonna have equally enough to say on the on the

winner and the outcome of this game. The thing, you know, the thing I look at it is in those games. I mean you look at San Francisco, uh against Green Bay, and and you know who knew rahe most most was gonna come out in two some yards four touchdowns in the game and become that guy. Now, my guess is that he's an afterthought come Monday after Super Bowl. I I just can't see. You know, look, everyone knows his story now. He's on five, six, sevent team, many teams

he's he's been on and kind of bounced around. The Dolphins had him for a little bit and in this and that. But to expect that he's going to do it again is a little bit far fest to me. But having said that, you know, the other thing I look at about that game, uh, the championship game on the NFC side is well, I think I thought just San Francisco just mauled Green Bay off from the offensive line.

Think the offensive line just man handled the line of scrimmage and the defensive line man handle the line of scrimmage. And to me, that was the biggest difference in that in that football game. Never allowed you know, and never allowed um Aaron Rodgers to really get going, never let them get their running game going. And defensively they had they had an answer to everything that the Green Bay was showing them. Did you think to watching that game?

I think San Francisco because they're so athletic on the offensive line and and Kittle is such a good blocker at tight end. The way they scheme their runs are a lot different than a lot of teams in the NFL. You know, pulling a tackle and landing your tight end seal and that let that tackle get to the second level when you're running a counter that takes a long time. But yet they were still able to be able to get the angles on those blocks because they're so strong

and athletic to get there. I just think that brings a whole new dynamic and to me, Kittle. Kittle is really one of the keys dun look at and look, you can talk about him catching the full tight ends exactly runs after catch, you know, you can talk about that, but but I think you're right. The thing to me that makes him such a perfect fit for the forty niners is his ability to block. You come in a

wham block and take somebody out. They're not they're not afraid to set him over defensive enage and try to get him in a position. And you know, normally you watch, you know, you see a lot of time match. Yeah, they put a you know, they put a linebacker over a tight end or a defensive end over and the guy gets run over. Well, Kittle matches up and blocks as well as just about any with them, and it

gives them a lot of a lot of freedom. Yeah, And to me, it's almost this game maybe about perimeter football. Which team is going to be able to get their running game out to the perimeters. You know, just think back, think back to the game Kansas City's game against Tennessee. That that one play where where Mahomes gets out almost barely gets around the corner and then you've got people got any out runs down the side. One of the great runs that we've seen in you know, in playoff football,

and you know there it is that perimeter game. If you got to you know, cant keep him off the perimeter and keep him from turning that corner. That's gonna be one of the big issues for them. But you can say in France, have some balance because I don't think in a Super Bowl. I mean they did it in an an NFC championship game. They didn't throw pass

in the third quarter. I mean, can you continue to to live like that and and be able to work off of play action now, because you know Kansas City is gonna have an answer at the line of scrimmage. You know they're gonna it's not going to be as easy as it was. I don't think in the championship game. Now it might be. Look, I think what things Kansas City may have going for them from that standpoint is, you know Tennessee tried to remember Tennessee came out in

the championship, they went three tights. You know, they're trying to do all that stuff, trying to get the corners and listen that so so Kansas City had a chance, had a had a game a couple of weeks ago defending I think they're gonna see out of the forty niners in a different fashion, but still that work in the corners and trying to you know, trying to break down that uh, trying to you know, break down the

contain the perimeter and find and find a soft corner on. Yeah, it'll be it'll be interesting how how the defensive schemes and what they try their answers are gonna be to the multiple sets of San Francisco and Kansas City can give you. I think Kansas City is a little bit more free wheeling with a let's just go one back and let's let's spread everybody out and let Patrick decide where he wants to go with the football. And I think it's gonna be a key for him to be

patient because San Franz gonna sit back in zone. They can put pressure with just four, you know, so they're gonna sit back in those zone coverages, and you're gonna have to be take what's there in the passing game and not really forced the issue down the field, because that's how opposing teams put the ball at risk, you know, for the corners, and and Sherman coming up with a couple of picks in the in the postseason and being able to get greedy, you know when when you don't

need to, when you just need to kind of let it come to you as a quarterback. And that'll be something to watch. The other thing, too, is watching Kansas City their offense. You know, they just you know, Andy Reid's gonna come up with some different wrinkles. He's gonna show you different things. And I can recall going when we were when the Dolphins played Kansas City a few years ago, going out there when Albert Wilson was still on the Chiefs and much like they used Tyreek Hill.

Now you know they were using Albert on those jeff Man fake Jeff you know, just motion give in motion and now everyone and then you come the other way. And so you know he he's Andy Reid knows this offense and put this offense together so much that misdirection wide misdirection is gonna be a big part of this game. And the other thing is I think when you look at Kansas City's offense and you got a a very you know, speed kills on their offense and they're a fast.

Fact you can't lose leverage the San Francisco and and being disciplined with your leverage, and you got you got that front. You know. One of the things I've always you know, much like much like when when when Um the Giants beat New England, when when they played him in the Super Bowl, when New England was undefeated, their ability to just rush four guys up front create pressure. And look, they had Eli Manning back, you know, I mean not ely Man. They had Um who was h Brady.

Brady wasn't going in, you know, so so it wasn't the same. It wasn't the same as having Patrick Mahomes. I think San Francisco can do that with their front four. But they're gonna have to be Cognis in the passing lanes. They're going to be Congress and the quarterback front side and backside. Because one thing, you know, you know, especially like you know, Nick Boles and Nick nick Nicks played great. You know, Um all year long. He's been dominant. If I see one flawing Nick, it's he wants to make

every play. So they run that little sweep to the other side he's collapsed down, You do that little fake toss, run the naked boot coming back. And especially you got Mahomes who can you got now you got him run past and he's out there and he opened, and he's got leverage, he's wide open, got a tight end. You got Kelsey coming across the field, you got the high low, or I can run and and and attack the line

of scrimmage. Well, that that, to me is going to be one of the issues that I think that that that and I've watched I watched the forty nights enough to wear. You can see where they've they've kind of school bows on that. But he's just he's got that mentality wanted to make every play, and sometimes he bites in that cheese and and so so there's a lot of different opportunity. There was speed and athleticism on offense for Kansas City versus speed and athleticism on the defensive

side of the fort with San Francisco. That that is gonna be those two two those that matchup Kansas City's offense against San Francisco's defense. To me is it's that's the that's the cotton candy. That's the one you want

to bite up and watch it. Whereas when you look at the others offense against the other one, you you kind of feel like it's gonna be more of a more of that three three yards in a cloud of dust, and it's gonna be more of of three and out and in the field position, you know, and in finding a way to limit the explosive place for Kansas City. And on the other side for San Francisco, they want to possess the football, keep Patrick Mahomes on the sideline,

so they're gonna try to grind it out. Play action. Get Jimmy on that little play action where he has the tight end really quick in the flat, get the football, They move the chains, and they do it again, and they start on that clock. Because the less opportunities and possessions you can give Kansas City in this game, I think that's one of those keys for San Francisco that they're gonna try to, you know, create ball possession and create time of possession and create field position wins to

make them go eight and ninety. Let me ask you this, John, Uh, Jimmy Garoppolo biggest game he's ever played in his life. Last week was the biggest game. Two weeks ago was the biggest game he played in his life. Uh. They you know, he have to throw the ball a lot way you throw eight times, the don't have to throw the whole ball a whole bunch. They were able to

run the football. Um, I've got to think that Kansas City going in this game says, Hey, you know what, if someone's gonna beat us, it's gonna be Jimmy Garrold. I think they're gonna come after you got well you they got to stop the run and force him to If they gotta make him be the focus of that offense, you gotta win or lout. You're gonna You're gonna have to win or lose with Jimmy garl want to the Titans. I'm not saying that everybody has a Derrick Henry in

the backfield, because they don't. But that's the formula. You have to win on first and second down. If you get the third night, make the quarterback win against man coverage and make him do it with the least amount of time in the pocket. And I think that's where Kansas City wants it to be. If they can stop or slow down the run and then send that extra guy that makes Garoppolo maybe want to throw it account early, that's that's their advantage. That's where they want the game

to be played. It's funny because if you look at the teams and they're very different, but they're very sim her tight end dominant. Right, both teams are tied and dominant. Both teams have pretty good offensive lines. Yeah, it's uh, it's yeah. It's gonna be a nice little match up here. And very fortunate now to be joined by uh by Uh Well, first of all, one of my favorite players ever for the for the Miami Dolphins and one of the classiest guys they've ever played for the Dolphins. And

hopefully we see him here UH on Saturday morning. I guess at sometimes I don't know if it's morning or mid afternoon. When he has little knock on the door and in the in the world, I think we'll all celebrate, Uh celebrate that. Zach Thomas and uh join us right now. Zach, Hey, thanks for joining us in uh, John Kenjimmy Kimbo camper with you. Appreciate you taking some time out for us. I know it's a busy week and an exciting week for you, so we really appreciate your time. Thanks Zach.

So so, Zach tell me here here we are early week, Super Bowl week, UM Hall of Fame coming up, you're one of the finalists. Uh, five guys being picked. What's in your gut right now? Man? It's uh, you know what, I already feel like I won. Man, even if I

get the phone call. I mean, just to be in the conversation to me is humbling because you know, it's it's an individual award with but it's a team game and so and you both know of all the great talent we had around me and jt Um during those times with Jimmy Johnson, you know, days and and that was fun. So for me to get all the credit is kind of like, uh, you know, but you know I'll take it. You know, how do you how do you have you? If you if you if you got got a swath of a cloth out to see what

you look like in in mustard yellow? No, no, no, I never I never, yeah, I ever do that. And that's not me. And that's not really me to be out you know me, I get you, I get you pain or anything like that. Never, that's not me because I feel like, uh, man, the game has been so good to me for me to expect anything that it owes me something. Man. No, Man, it doesn't know mean nothing. It gave me everything. It's from purpose to family to just a great life down here, and so I'm very grateful.

Well it was, Zach. I think much like much like your your career with the Miami Dolphins, this this event coming up, this super Bowl, or this Hall of Fame moment for you, um is much like the way you played. You didn't need to talk about it. You just went out in the field. You did your job, and you did your job as well or better than anybody else. You prepared better than than anybody I've ever seen. And and so yeah, you you allowed your your game to talk,

and your game is still talking. I think that's why you're on the cusp of the Hall of Fame right now, no doubt about that. Well appreciate it because I mean, if I deserve to make it, I'll make you play simple because the rest is all ego. You know, it's it's uh so, And if I don't, I don't, you know, But it doesn't take away because you remember Kim when I came in as a rookie and ninety six, it's just a big meat head. Me and Larry is though, it's just like ready to go, you know, we're just

trying to make the team. I want to make special teams. And then, you know, looking back at it, when I was eight years old, coming from a small town of Texas, man, I never imagined this. You just keep pushing the bar higher and higher and higher for me to be in the conversation. Man, come on, man, Well you know what, Zach, I think it's number one. Remarkable because of the career that you had in the type of man and the

type of person that you are. And everybody knows that, uh in South Florida and back in Texas, just by the way you handle yourself. But I wanted to ask you what motivated you the most. I know that there were things that you know, in my personal life that you had a draw on that you had to continually kind of read or look at and and say, that's not gonna happen. I'm gonna be determined to do it this way and this is how, this is what's gonna

lead me to help my team win. What was the most thing that you kind of relied on or or tried to maybe recite or think about that motivated you to be the best player you could be that would ultimately help your team win. Well, because I didn't fit the part John Um, I didn't look the park Um. That motivated my whole career because even out of high school, I was like two time on State and I still

didn't get but two offers. And then in college two time on American went to the Buckets Awards with Kevin Hardy ray Lewis and I still go a hundred fifty four pick. So for me, I always found it in that like I had that chip on my shoulder because I knew every one of those seventeen guys that were drafted out ahead of me. Of linebackers, I mean, I

I pretty much. I don't want to sit here and name them all, but Kevin Hardy, ray Lewis, Donnie Edwards, Steve Conley, Reggie Brown, Teddy Bruski is a good linebacker, the Curtis Jones who was before me, Um, say, Reggie Brown,

personal gas. I knew every one of those guys John earlier in my career because I reminded myself man, because hey man, I just wanted the opportunity and I got it, and I got so lucky to land with Jimmy Johnson too, to be able to be in the right system that's luck man to be because I could have went to any of these three four systems that you know they're plugger guys, I would it wouldn't have worked there, um.

And to be trusted as a rookie to start from the get go, come on, man, I was blessed in that. So that's a little lucky. You gotta have a little luck along the way. But I'm asked for the motivational part of it. Man, I was the most motivated guy. Motivated guy because I always look for it. Because when I played, and I was playing, when I was playing good, I'd always pull out clips from what I cut out for anybody knocking my game or whatever, just to keep

me never too coaked. It was always to keep my mind set because the game I humble you man, you start playing really good, you start your your your prep gets lazy, and you yourself. Oh and I never wanted to be comfortable. So if I had, you know, kim back in the day when I had those busters on my mouth, I was playing pretty good at the time because I was stressed out. And that's what I love because I made stress my friend. You know, hey, Zach,

you know I Jimmy Johnson. You talked about Jimmy he went in uh last week, and I'm sure you saw what it was, just an emotional, emotional thing. And I know how much Jimmy meant to you, not only because he drafted you, um, but talk a little bit about Jimmy beyond the getting drafted and beyond you know, you know, putting you in there as the start of the first week and putting Jack del Rio into coaching business a little earlier than he wanted to be in in the

coaching business. But what was it about playing for Jimmy Johnson that because Jimmy kindie, Jimmy was kind of on that customer of the old school new school kind of guys where he was still tough. You guys did inside drill every day, you did live tackling, You did all this too. What was it about Jimmy and his way of coaching his team and motivating his players brought the

best out of you? Well, I owe everything Jimmy, just like I said earlier about for the opportunity and even drafted me, but just for having all the talent around me. But the thing that they always talked about, how he's a great talent evaluator. But he was great at motivating too. I mean he had what a psychology degree or or something in that way, and he would come with all these speeches that were very motivating. But Jimmy was a guy that when he came in the room, because he

had that intimidating presence. There's few guys that I've been around, like they had pat Riley come into our room to talk to us one time, and he has that presence. Not too many guys have that presence were you know, there's other coaches that everybody was just horsing around when they come to the room. When Jimmy came in the room, everybody got quiet, and everybody was there in the meeting room. It didn't matter if we have a nine o'clock meeting.

Guys were there at fifty because they knew if everybody was there and there was one guy missing, it was he was late. Didn't matter if nine o'clock meeting. That was Jimmy. Jimmy could look at me and and if I wasn't playing so good, he just give me that look and he already got the message across those that right there. Just special how he can motivate guys he knew who the guys to push, who to be harder on.

But yes, those days of practicing then, Man, I remember going live in the middle of the season because we weren't practicing hard and tackling to the ground, and I think Kareem Adul Jabar got hurt um and I felt bad for that because I was on a blitz and I hit him. But he didn't even play that week because we're going live in practice, you know, so, But yeah, Jimmy was the best man. Yeah, Zack, I wanted to ask you a little bit about the mental side of it.

Everybody could see the physical traits that you possessed in the passion that you played with, but I was hoping that you could remember maybe a story or two that you're playing in a game and you're calling out a play in terms of being able to know exactly where that offense is going with the run, with the play action, whatever it may be, and that quarterback kind of looks at you, like like Jimmy Johnson looked at you when he wanted you to turn it up a little bit,

going that SLB knows exactly where we're going. Well, I'll tell you what. When we I mean, it used to be a chess match when we play like a Peyton Man or Tom Brady, because those guys always had a lot of time when they were in the snap count, you know, usually around eighteen seconds through over there seeing what we have there and we're disguising and doing all that, but then they make a call and how you do adjust? How do you adjust, and so that part of it,

that's what I'm missed all the priest. Snap was my favorite part of the game. That's why walk through it was more important to me than practice because I'm wasting my time if I don't get my alignment right and I'm talking about alignment could be one inch, one direction or the other my depth, because it was the most

important for me. It was my alignment and assignment. And that's when you win anyways, right Kim, because it usually on Monday morning is the coach is telling you what you did wrong when you get beat because you beat yourself way board and the other team beat you. So for me, walk through was my most important thing because it was overlooked or what a lot of guys they always like horsing around, But that was when I was most focused because I felt like I always had a

live relied on the angles. Never get an offensive alignment, a clean angle at me versus different formations, because you know, I want the biggest guy, so I always angles was important to me. And when they tried to go wide to get to me for the perimeter, a lot of times they run into Timbo. You don't know why Timbo, so they couldn't even get to me. So and then when they're trying to get to that angle, they're not

square on you. You could take them wherever you want. Now, if I was to take on the guard and try to go man up like even John Offlow used to do, I can't do that. That's not me. It's not me. I can't do that because I would get mauled. And so that was so important to me. Um, I got off rambling on your your your question there, John, Sorry, But with the whole mindset part of it, like if I was to catch a player two during the game, it would tell me that I'm in their playbook when

I really wasn't. And you got to react as a linebacker. But before game, before going in the game, and you prepped really good. You've got a lot of confidence, man, because you know I didn't have all the tangibles with the speed or or the size, but I was probably the most confident player on the field because of all that prep and it was a skill I trained man over the years, and that helped me with the anticipation and UH and reading the play you touched on, you

touched on on Tim Bowen's. I had Darryl Gardner, Trace Armstrong, Jason Taylor, um Channing, Crowder, Patrick, Sam um Rock Marion. I don't know who who are the other safety coming in and out was, but you guys, You guys the one thing I always enjoyed watching. I enjoyed watching the way you guys played, but I also enjoyed watching you guys played because I know how close you guys were, you know, and had the opportunity play on some on some teams where we were just so close that you

could have nonverbal communication. Guys knew what you're doing. You know, you don't even have to say anything. You can look in the eye and they knew what you're thinking. And I just both on and off the field, I just felt like you guys were such a close unit that um did it did it made you a really really good defense although you had really good individuals. You you were better as a unit than you were the individuals of that unit. And it was fun. I wouldn't have

trade that defense for anyone. I mean, you know, it was kind of hard at times because you gotta take care of yourselves first on defense. Don't worry about what the offense is doing, because a lot of times they were lied on the defense because at the time it was okay to punt. It's never okay to punt, you know what I'm saying. But for us sometimes we go to the sidelines and by the time to get you water, they're already calling punt team. And so for guys, because

here's the thing. If you sit there and go what punting already, negativity is already sitting in, You're not You're getting out of your mindset, your zone. And you gotta take care of yourselves to give yourself the best chance to win in that game. And so that's why we all had to stay together. And and that's what's good. Everybody gave everybody credit. Man look at jat Man first ballot deserving and he gave the whole team on especially

the defense, credit for his induction. And we all feel part of that because I was so happy for him, because I mean, for one of us to go in, it's amazing because it's the best of the best, you know, Yeah, no doubt, he zach. Uh, we appreciate you spending some time.

We can sit here and talk to you uh forever, but UH, I just want to again thank you for your time and and and thank you for your career and uh you know, lifelong Miami Dolphin and uh you know we're we're proud of you and we look forward to uh to the good news coming to you this week on on Saturday, and can't wait to see you uh in the Hall of Fame will be I may I may have to you know, I put a uh, I put a I said I would never go into the Hall of Fame until he put Bob Kuchenberg's bust

in there. I might have to sneak in if they put you in there, I may have to go incognito. You're not reaching and caged, you know, but I may have to go in undercover to see your bust in there. But hopefully at one point I can go in and see both of you guys in there. But I know, I know this is a big week for you, and again appreciate your time. And uh, I wish you hey, thanks guys. And you know Bob deserves to going the

rescue peace man. And and you know, for me, I'm gonna be in Canton this year anyway, win or lose, Jimmy, so I'm going out there, so I uh, we gotta get you out there, kim So it'd be nice, you know, to be added there. Well, i'd be I'd be happy to see I have to be happy to see you guys go in there because the only way I'm going in is with the tickets. So thank you so much, man,

thank you. Alright, alright, awesome, awesome Jack. You know he's uh, you know, you talk about a guy, he's certainly deserving of Hall of Fame. Um, but just you know, I mean, you know, you just look at guys and you look at the way they carry themselves and look at the class and and and that's the one. You know, when he came in and I remember when he came in with with Larry Iso and they were too you know,

to just balls of balls of the wall. Guys on and off the field, had a good time, played hard, played well, did everything well and then to watch him continue to grow during both of their careers. But most of these accents, Zach stayed here and watched the way he handled himself. And you know, one thing I always remember about Zach, he he took He he took losses as hard as anybody anybody I've I've ever I've ever met.

And yet you know, I was still doing the still going to the locker room getting sound and stuff after after games and everything. And no matter how bad the loss was, he always stood up. He was there to talk and he wasn't shutting anybody down. And no matter what question was asked, he answered it, and he answered it then, you know, truthfully in the way he felt and uh and I think that certainly endeared him to a lot of people. And uh and just the way

he carried himself. You know what he'd be. He's an awesome I'd get in the Hall of Fame and he'd be another guy who would, uh would represent the Miami Dolphins with a lot of class. He's all about class. He's first class. And I just I just wish him nothing but the best because the way he played the game, with the passion, the intensity and the way guys played around him. You know, we talked about Ryan Fitzpatrick this year for the Dolphins, and you said, well, what made

him so good? And I would say, look at the way they played around him. Look at the way the guys raised their level of of of play on a weekly basis just by having him at quarterback. I think that's what Zach Thomas meant to that defense. You looked and you you watched the level that he played at consistently as a member of the Miami Dolphins for all those years, and you look around and everybody else was at that same level. But I think he was the catalyst.

He was the guy with the energy. He was the guy that we're making all the plays at the biggest times of the football game. And there were many of those guys on defense. I did that, but I wouldn't say, uh, there were that many better than than Zach Thomas. Well, you know, it's it's funny, we have to We're gonna

wrap it up here in a second. But uh, you know, we had Trace Armstrong last week and and talked to Trace about his thoughts on Zach and and and I thought he really you know, the one thing he said that really resonated with me and always and stayed with me was the fact that Zach made the biggest plays and the biggest moments of the game, and that, to me is one of the things that divides Zack defines Zach. Absolutely.

All Right, that's gonna do it. We're gonna wrap it up, and uh, I got a big super Bowl coming up. We'll be back next week. We'll talk about the winner of that game. John, real quickly before we go. I'm not a big I'm not a big predicting guy, but what, how do you see this game? How this game playing out? Boy,

I think it's gonna be a close one. It's gonna be one of those where I think Patrick Mahomes is gonna have the football last and I think they're gonna find a way to win the game somewhere in the fourth quarter. Yeah, you know what I'm I grew up in the Bay Area. I was a forty Niner fan with the John Brody and you know, Leo Nomlini and all Jimmy Johnson and going back to all those guys forever and ever and ever. Um So I've got a little soft spot in my heart for the forty Niners.

But uh, you know, I think i'd like to see Andy Reid walk away with a with the Lombardi Trophy in Kansas City. So um, I like both teams. I've liked both franchises. Uh, it's a star studded super Bowl, there's all. You know, there's different styles, there's different guys. It really is gonna be. You know, you couldn't ask for a better matchup. I was I was dreading. I was dreading Tennessee Green Bay. You know, Tennessee Green rolling

into Miami this week. But but we got the got two teams with two teams rest in Red coming in. We'll see who comes away. We'll be with the trophy. Yet. That's gonna for the audible this week. We'll catch you next week. We'll talk about the game afterwards for John kN Jammy, I'm kim Bo Camper. Stay safe. We'll see you then