u200bIt was September 1st, 1996. With 12:51 remaining in the 4th quarter, Patriots wide receiver Shawn Jefferson takes an end around and is met by Dolphins rookie linebacker Zach Thomas. He is hit hard. Real hard. So hard he doesn’t get up. So hard he spends the night at Jackson Memorial Hospital. As for the man that hit him, this was one of the first of his 1,076 tackles. This was the day he became my favorite football player. This was also his first memorable moment of a Hall of Fame-worthy career. The question is, why isn’t he in it yet?
Zach Thomas: When Will He Get the Call
