Never Forgotten

JANUARY 1, 1967 - Born Derrick Vincent Thomas in Miami, Florida.
DECEMBER 17, 1972 - Derrick’s father, Air Force Captain Robert Thomas, is shot down while it was returning from a mission in Vietnam on "Operation: Linebacker II".
NOVEMBER 1988 - Received the Butkus Award, given to the nations top collegiate linebacker and was tabbed as a unanimous first team All-America selection at the University of Alabama.
APRIL 1989 - Selected by the Chiefs with their first round selection (fourth overall) in the ’89 NFL Draft. Only Troy Aikman (Dallas), Tony Mandarich (Green Bay) and Barry Sanders (Detroit) were picked sooner.

DECEMBER 1990 - Became the first Chiefs rookie to lead the club in sacks since Chiefs Hall of Famer Art Still in ’78. His 10.0 sacks were just two shy of Leslie O’Neal’s NFL rookie record at the time.
JANUARY 1990 - Earned consensus Defensive Rookie of the Year honors and first Pro Bowl berth, becoming the first Kansas City rookie to make the Pro Bowl since RB Joe Delaney following the ’81 season. Became the first Chiefs outside linebacker to earn a spot in that game since Pro Football Hall of Famer Bobby Bell in ’73. Also named the Chiefs Mack Lee Hill Award Winner.
NOVEMBER 1990 - Established the "Third and Long Foundation", an inner-city reading program in Kansas City. As part of the Literacy program, Derrick read to children at local libraries each Saturday during the season before home games.
NOVEMBER 11, 1990 - Set an NFL single-game record with 7.0 sacks vs. Seattle, breaking the previous record of 6.0 set by San Francisco’s Fred Dean vs. New Orleans (11/13/83).

DECEMBER 29, 1990 - Set Chiefs single season record with 20.0 sacks, getting his 20th sack at Chicago, a win which clinched Kansas City’s first playoff berth since ’86. His 20 sacks were just two shy of Mark Gastineau’s NFL single-season record of 22.0 set in ’84.
JANUARY 5, 1991 - Played in the first of 10 career postseason games with the Chiefs, a 17-16 loss at Miami. Those 10 playoff appearances give Thomas a share of the franchise record along with John Alt, Tim Grunhard and Dave Szott.
FEBRUARY 1991 - Played in his second Pro Bowl game.
DECEMBER 1991 - Led the Chiefs in sacks for the third straight season with 13.5.
JANUARY 1992 - Addressed the Missouri General Assembly and obtained public understanding and support for alternative programs for children at risk. Named the Chiefs Most Valuable Player for the first time becoming the first linebacker to ever win that honor.

FEBURARY 1992 - Started his third straight Pro Bowl. Was awarded the first Distinguished Service to Education Award from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Education. Mariam Williams, Thomas’ middle school english teacher was selected as the NFL Teacher of the Year.
JULY 16, 1992 - 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. Appeared in Hank Williams, Jr.’s, "Come on Over to Country" music video.
SEPTEMBER 11, 1992 - Met with President George Bush in Kansas City.
OCTOBER 18, 1992 - Recorded 50th sack of his career on Troy Aikman vs. Dallas.
DECEMBER 1992 - Tied with Neil Smith for the team lead with 14.5 sacks.
FEBRUARY 1993 - Started in the Pro Bowl for the fourth consecutive year.
JANUARY 1993 - Received the NFL’s most prestigious honor, receiving the 1993 Edge NFL Man of the Year Award, which recognizes both community service and on-field performance.

MAY 1993 - Delivered the keynote address at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial during Memorial Day ceremonies in Washington, D.C. Other speakers at that event have included Vice President Al Gore, General Colin Powell and former Pittsburgh Steeler Rocky Bleier.
JANUARY 1994 - Helped guide the Chiefs to their first AFC West title since ’71 and lead Kansas City to its first-ever appearance in the AFC Championship Game.
FEBRUARY 1994 - Played in the Pro Bowl for the fifth consecutive year. Awarded the 1994 Genuine Heroes Award, presented by Trinity College in Chicago.
DECEMBER 1994 - Named the Chiefs MVP for the second time and was selected to his sixth consecutive Pro Bowl.

JUNE 1995 - Selected the winner of the Byron "Whizzer" White Humanitarian Award for service to team, community and country.
DECEMBER 1995 - Helped lead Kansas City to a franchise-best 13-3 regular season record and the club’s second AFC West title in three years. Earned his seventh straight Pro Bowl appearance in the process.
DECEMBER 1996 - Garnered his eighth straight Pro Bowl nod, while leading the team for the fifth time in his career, this time with 13.0 sacks.
NOVEMBER 16, 1997 - Records the 100th sack of his NFL career, getting it against John Elway in a 24-22 win vs. Denver at Arrowhead.

DECEMBER 1997 - Guided Kansas City to a franchise-best 13-3 record for the second time in three years as the Chiefs captured their third AFC West title in five seasons. Selected to his ninth consecutive Pro Bowl, the most of any player in Chiefs history. Recorded 9.5 sacks despite missing four games to a triceps tendon injury.
SEPTEMBER 6, 1998 - Recorded 6.0 sacks vs. Oakland in the season opener, just one shy of tying his own NFL record. Also pulls off a "called shot" in that contest, signaling a sack and then getting it on the next play vs. Raiders QB Jeff George. That safety was the third of his career, a Chiefs record.
DECEMBER 1998 - Led the team with 12.0 sacks, the fifth time in his career he led the team in that category.
DECEMBER 26, 1998 - Registered the fourth and final touchdown of his NFL tenure, a 44-yard fumble return in a 31-24 win at Oakland, the final game of Marty Schottenheimer’s 10-year tenure as Chiefs head coach.

AUGUST 1999 - Was selected to the Kansas City Chiefs’ 40th Anniversary Team as named by Lamar Hunt and Lamar Hunt, Jr., joining guard Will Shields as the only other active Chiefs player on that team.
SEPTEMBER 19, 1999 - Presented Gunther Cunningham with the game ball after the Chiefs recorded their first regular season victory under their new head coach, a 26-10 win vs. Denver at Arrowhead.
OCTOBER 31, 1999 - Recorded the first interception of his 11-year NFL career in a 34-0 shutout of the San Diego Chargers at Arrowhead.
DECEMBER 5, 1999 - Became one of just 26 players in NFL history to be on a club’s roster for all 10 years of a 100-win decade when the Chiefs recorded a 16-10 win at Denver.
DECEMBER 18, 1999 - Registered the final sack of his NFL career on Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomczak, giving him a Chiefs-record 126.5 for his career, the ninth-highest total in NFL history. During the decade of the ‘90s, Thomas recorded 116.5 sacks, the most of any player in the league during the decade.
JANUARY 1, 2000 - Celebrated his 33rd birthday.
JANUARY 2, 2000 - Became first player in Chiefs history to play a regular season game in three different decades (‘80s, ‘90s and ‘00s when Kansas City suffered a 41-38 overtime loss to the Oakland Raiders.

JANUARY 23, 2000 - Seriously injured in a one-vehicle accident on icy roads on Interstate 435 near Kansas City International Airport.
FEBRUARY 8, 2000 - Left us at 10:10 AM (EST) at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida.

Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton & Will Jennings (Written in honor of Eric Clapton's son, who died at the age of 9)

Would you know my name if I saw you in heaven? Would it be the same if I saw you in heaven? I must be strong and carry on, 'Cause I know I don't belong here in heaven. Would you hold my hand if I saw you in heaven? Would you help me stand if I saw you in heaven? I'll find my way through night and day, 'Cause I know I just can't stay here in heaven. Time can bring you down, time can bend your knees. Time can break your heart, have you begging please, begging please. Beyond the door there's peace I'm sure, And I know there'll be no more tears in heaven.

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