Chiefs’ Thomas Hopes to Make Impact Sunday Against Raiders

Linebacker Derrick Thomas of the Kansas City Chiefs blasted into the Raider backfield as soon as the ball was snapped, and quarterback Jay Schroeder never had a chance, Thomas knocking him to the turf like a rag doll.

Thomas also sacked Schroeder once more during the Chiefs’ 24-19 victory over the Raiders last month in Kansas City, so the Raiders will be going all out to stop Thomas when they play the Chiefs again Sunday at the Coliseum.

“Derrick Thomas is a big impact player,” Raider Coach Art Shell said. “He’s such an impact player, it’s scary. You watch him on film, and every week he’s doing something to somebody. Even (Cincinnati Bengal All-Pro tackle Anthony) Munoz caught hell from him.”

Thomas gave Munoz problems in the Chiefs’ 21-17 loss to the Bengals two weeks ago, beating Munoz to sack Boomer Esiason and force a fumble.

Thomas has helped rejuvenate the Chiefs’ defense, which is ranked third in the National Football League after being last against the rush last season.

The Chiefs used the No. 4 pick in this year’s National Football League draft to select Thomas, an All-American at Alabama, making him the first linebacker to be selected in the first round in the team’s 29-year history.

The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Thomas has adapted quickly to the NFL despite reporting late after a 36-day holdout. He signed a reported $4.2-million, five-year contract with the Chiefs, and Kansas City is already getting a good return on its investment.

Thomas leads the Chiefs in tackles with 26 and in sacks with four. Last Sunday, Kansas City held the Seattle Seahawks to 52 yards rushing in a 20-16 win. Seahawk tailback Curt Warner gained just one yard in seven carries, and fullback John L. Williams was held to 22 yards in nine carries.

Thomas has also made his mark on Kansas City’s punt and kickoff teams.

Is he surprised by his sudden impact on the Chiefs?

“Nope,” he said. “For me it doesn’t take long to adjust. If you tell me to do A, B and C, I might do B, C and A the first time, but the next time I’m going to do A, B and C.”

A tailback during his first two years in high school, Thomas was moved to linebacker in his senior year.

He adjusted quickly to his new position, earning all-league honors at South Miami High School.

“Derrick was probably the best athlete we had, but we never knew where to play him,” South Miami Coach Sam Harris said. “He decided he’d rather hit than be hit, so we switched him to defense.”

A good player on a mediocre team, Thomas was overshadowed by teammate Keith Carter, an all-state linebacker who is a fifth-year senior at Florida State.

“Before he reported to Kansas City, we had a roast for him,” Harris said, “and one of the speakers said (in jest) that the reason we never put Derrick’s picture in the paper was because we didn’t want the police to see it and recognize him as the guy who was stealing all the mopeds at school.”

Although he didn’t receive much acclaim, Thomas attracted the attention of college recruiters. He wanted to attend Louisiana State but didn’t qualify for admission because of poor grades, so he went to Alabama.

“He really wanted to go to LSU but he was a ‘C’ student, and the (LSU) recruiter said he couldn’t take any more borderline kids,” Harris said. “Going to Alabama may have been the best thing that ever happened to him.”

After succeeding All-American linebacker Cornelius Bennett in the Crimson Tide’s starting lineup, Thomas flourished at Alabama, winning the Dick Butkus Award last season.

It was no surprise that Thomas won the award, presented annually to the best collegiate linebacker. It would have been surprising if he hadn’t won it.

Thomas had a school-record 27 sacks and made 88 tackles for Alabama last season. He also blocked four kicks.

“A lot of guys get called great these days when they really aren’t,” Alabama Coach Bill Curry told the Kansas City Star. “A great player should be able to dominate at his level. If a guy can’t dominate, then I don’t think he’s a great football player.

“Derrick Thomas is a great player. He was a dominant player in the Southeastern Conference. He blocked kicks. He sacked quarterbacks. He knocked the ball loose. He came up with the football. Virtually every time we needed a monumental play last year, Derrick is the guy who came up with it. He is the epitome of an impact player.”

Although he had an outstanding college football career, Thomas had one regret: His father never saw him play.

Thomas was 5 when his father was killed in a plane crash in Vietnam.

Robert Thomas, a B-52 co-pilot, was on a bombing mission when his plane was shot down.

“I was told he waited until everyone else got out,” Derrick Thomas said. “Then he attempted to eject from the plane just before it exploded. Everybody else on the plane came back.”

After being listed as missing in action for six years, Robert Thomas was declared dead in 1979.

Earlyne Thomas, his stepmother, said that she and her husband had planned to adopt Derrick before her husband was killed. Derrick was born out of wedlock to Edith Morgan when Robert Thomas was in high school. Robert Thomas later married Earlyne.

“We wanted to adopt Derrick, and just before his dad was killed we were going to be coming to Miami to visit at Christmas,” Earlyne Thomas said. “We were going to talk about adopting Derrick. His dad was crazy about him. And I always thought of Derrick as a son.”

After his father died, Thomas was raised by an aunt, Annie Adams, in South Miami.

“She had a great deal of influence on me,” Thomas said. “I think I owe everything I have now to her. She taught me all the virtues and values of life.”

Lacking a strong male influence in his life, Thomas struggled to find himself while growing up.

A juvenile delinquent, Thomas was sent to a school for troubled teen-agers after several minor scrapes with the law. The school, designed to instill discipline and self-esteem, helped to kindle Thomas’ interest in sports.

Now, he would like to help other wayward youths.

A criminal justice major in college, Thomas has talked of opening a boys’ home after he retires from pro football.

“Derrick has had some big scars in his life,” Earlyne Thomas said. “That’s why I’m so happy for Derrick. I want to be there for him when he’s through playing football and nobody else knows who he is.”

Thomas and his stepmother have developed a close relationship in recent years. A St. Louis-based attorney, she helped him select an agent and is trying to shield him from the wolves who would fleece him of his new-found wealth.

“He’s had long lost relatives coming out of the woodwork asking for handouts,” she said. “I told him not to loan anybody a dime.”