Zach Thomas (born September 1, 1973 in Pampa, Texas) is an American football player who currently plays linebacker for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League during which he played all ten seasons in his career with them. He also has been selected to the Pro Bowl six times and has recorded in his career over 1400 tackles. He attended Pampa High School in Pampa, Texas where he was named first team All-state as a senior and was a three year starter at Texas Tech University as linebacker where he was a finalist for the Butkus Award, was the Southwestern Coference Defensive Player of the Year and was a consensus All-America in his junior and senior years. Zach and his older brother Bart were the first pair of brothers to be named first team All Southwest Conference in the same year. The brothers also were highschool teammates at White Deer highschool in White Deer, Texas where they went 16-0 and were class 1A state champs in 1988, which was Zach's freshman year. Thomas was drafted in the fifth round of the 1996 NFL Draft as many scouts thought he was too small to play in the NFL.
Thomas led the Dolphins in tackles with 165 in 2005 even after missing two games with ankle and shoulder injuries, and is one of three players to record one hundred or more tackles in each of his first ten seasons in the NFL. Thomas was also selected to his sixth Pro Bowl apperence in 2006, being tied for the third most Pro Bowl apperences in club history and are the most among all defensive players in Dolphins history.
Thomas' agent is Drew Rosenhaus, widely considered one of the most aggressive agents currently representing NFL players.
Thomas currently owns a health club in Amarillo, Texas called "Zach's Club 54", which is ran by his brother Bart Thomas.
Thomas is brother-in-law to teammate and fellow defensive captain Jason Taylor, who is married to Thomas's sister.
