Chiefs Suspend Thomas
Nov. 18, 1998
A penitent Derrick Thomas apologized to everyone from his grandmother to the youth of Kansas City to Shannon Sharpe on Tuesday as he accepted the terms of his one-week suspension -- without pay -- from the Kansas City Chiefs.
Thomas was suspended until next Monday by coach Marty Schottenheimer after drawing three personal fouls during an 80-yard Denver drive for its final touchdown in the Broncos' 30-7 kicking of the Chiefs on Monday night. He will not participate in team workouts or meetings until then, and he will miss this week's game in San Diego.
Thomas still got off easier than did linebacker Wayne Simmons.
The Chiefs waived Simmons, whom they acquired from Green Bay in a trade last season, for what they said were performance-related reasons. The Chiefs have been unhappy with Simmons' play for some time this year after giving him a three-year contract following the 1997 season.
"A year ago he played extremely well, but his performance this year was not to that standard," Schottenheimer said of Simmons, the starting linebacker who played over opposing tight ends.
But Schottenheimer also was unhappy that Simmons drew one of the five penalties (for 62 yards) during the Denver drive that Schottenheimer said embarrassed the entire Chiefs organization.
"The ironic thing is, we've got a good group of young men," Schottenheimer said. "But we let the conduct of a couple of guys cast the rest of them in unfavorable light.
"If people don't want to fall in line with the way we do things," Schottenheimer added, "there are 29 other teams in this league."
Thomas said he did not want to play for any of those other 29 teams as he accepted his suspension.
Speaking to the media for the first time since he was relegated to situational duty three weeks ago, Thomas said he regretted the bad example he demonstrated on national TV.
"As an individual who I think people look up to, I have to conduct myself in a manner that is positive at all times," Thomas said. ""My conduct last evening was not characteristic of my game. I allowed a situation to get out of hand, and for that I apologize."
Thomas extended apologies to his mother and grandmother, to Lamar Hunt and Schottenheimer, to young people involved in his Third and Long Foundation -- a program to promote literacy -- and even to Sharpe, the Denver tight end whose facemask he grabbed in incurring one of his three penalties.
Thomas said he became incensed when he saw Sharpe cut-blocking Simmons -- who had been defending him much of the night -- at his knees. Thomas retaliated with a forearm blow to the head of Broncos' quarterback Bubby Brister, then later viciously shook Sharpe by the face mask.
"To the youth of America who look up to Derrick Thomas, I apologize because that is not sportsmanlike conduct and you should not conduct yourself in that way," Thomas said. "To the kids in my foundation, who I want to see me as a role model, I apologize. I preach to you to be positive, yet last night I let someone influence me into doing something that is totally out of character.
"This is probably as difficult a thing as I've had to deal with since I've been here. I'm not happy with this (suspension), but I did it and now I have to be accountable. I think the punishment is justifiable."
from topeka capital-journal
