Thomas' First Interception
Oct. 1999
A probable future Hall of Famer, Kansas City linebacker Derrick Thomas has picked up quite a few prestigious awards during his career with the Chiefs, but the 11-year veteran just might have picked up his most prized possession the final weekend of October.
A nine-time Pro Bowl selection, Thomas’ latest prize is nothing more than a black and white photograph of Thomas making a play against San Diego. The picture also features the signatures of several teammates, but it’s what Thomas is doing in the picture that makes it special.
Most casual observers looking at the picture would only see Thomas hauling in a pass thrown by San Diego quarterback Jim Harbaugh. But for Thomas the video still shot taken by a member of the Chiefs’ staff depicts the first interception of his career.
To commemorate the occasion, Kansas City’s defensive line coach Bob Karmelowicz gathered the signatures immediately after the Chiefs’ 34-0 whitewash of the Chargers and presented it to Thomas, while the entire team cheered.
When he left the locker room, Thomas left the ball he intercepted in his locker and took home the photograph.
“My way of motivating Derrick is through sarcasm,” Karmelowicz said. “I use it in a funny way. We’ll sit in a meeting, and I’ll say, `Geez, you guys know in 10 years, he doesn’t have an interception.’ Or I pick out places on the field, and say, `You haven’t gotten to the passer for a certain time,’ so I was kind of getting on him about that.
“I was genuinely happy when he got the interception. But even then, I said, `Geez, if you caught the ball and took it up the sideline, you had two blockers...’”
Since he has never been utilized in Kansas City’s pass coverage schemes, it’s understandable why Thomas had never recorded an interception before now. Instead of covering tight ends and running backs on pass routes, Thomas’ talent is hunting quarterbacks. By becoming a true outside linebacker this season after lining up as a defensive end most of his career, Thomas now has become a well-rounded linebacker, playing and stuffing the run better than ever while also breaking up four passes — one shy of his career best.
“All the other guys on the team who consider themselves good players have interceptions ... and Derrick was the left-out guy,” said defensive tackle Leslie O’Neal, who has three career interceptions. “People questioned whether he could really catch the ball or not. Now we know he can catch.”
The interception also rounds out Thomas’ résumé, which also includes 123.5 sacks, 44 forced fumbles, 19 recovered fumbles — four of which he returned for touchdowns — and three safeties.
Despite the pick, Thomas still lines up at right defensive end and harasses quarterbacks when the Chiefs are in their nickel package in obvious passing situations and leads the team with four sacks.
“They’re using Derrick in a lot of different ways,” said Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, who served as the Chiefs’ secondary coach during Thomas’ first three seasons. “He is in coverage a lot more, especially in first and second down, and he’s making plays all over the field ... linebacker plays as opposed to just plays on the pass rush. “He’s still a relentless guy when you get to third down or when they get ahead. He still has all those qualities. But I think he’s broadened his game and probably has done what the coaching staff wanted him to do.”
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