During the 2008 offseason, Bill Belichick and the Patriots were close to adding an All-Pro linebacker to their roster.
While on Hochman & Crowder this week, former Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas detailed his experience as a free agent.
Thomas was motivated to stick it to the Dolphins after being cut by Bill Parcells. That’s why he had a visit with the Patriots.
“After I got cut (by) the Dolphins, Parcells told me that, ‘You’re 35. Linebackers decline after 35,’ ” Thomas said, via NESN. “So I’m like, man — it’s just the competitive nature — I want to shove it in his face, right? So I say, where am I going to go in the division? I said I ain’t going to the Jets. Hell no. I ain’t doing that. So I say, OK, let’s go visit Bill Belichick.”
The Patriots ended up offering Thomas a contract for the 2008 season, but he decided to sign with the Cowboys instead.
“(Belichick) offered me, and I said, ‘Let me think about it.’ I slept on it and woke up the next morning and said, ‘Hell no, man. I can’t let down the fans, because they got my back.’ That’s one of those things that come back. They’ve always been good to me. I thought it was the right move, so I went to Dallas, playing out of position, and it worked out.”
Last weekend, Thomas was officially elected a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Thomas finished his career with 1,734 tackles, 20.5 sacks, 17 interceptions and 16 forced fumbled.