Derrick Thomas
Chronology
| 1967 | Born January 1 in Miami, Florida, to Robert James Thomas and Edith Morgan |
| 1972 | Father's plane shot down by North Vietnamese on December 17 |
| 1980 | Thomas' father declared legally dead |
| 1981 | Arrested for breaking into a store and sentenced to a school for troubled kids |
| 1984 | Earns All-League honors at South Miami High School |
| 1985 | Enters Alabama on scholarship to play with Crimson Tide |
| 1989 | Drafted fourth overall by Kansas City Chiefs |
| 1990 | Sets NFL single-game sack record by sacking Seattle QB David Krieg 7 times, forcing two fumbles |
| 1990 | Establishes the Third and Long Foundation, a charitable foundation focused on encouraging children to read and pursue their educational goals |
| 1997 | Injures left triceps tendon and is out for four games; still earns spot on Pro Bowl team by end of year |
| 1998 | Suspended for a week after being penalized three times in one defensive series in a game against Denver |
| 1999 | Playing as a pass-rusher, records only seven sacks |
| 2000 | Paralyzed on January 23 in car accident near Kansas City, Missouri |
| 2000 | Dies on February 8 from cardio-respiratory arrest |
Additional topics
Famous Sports StarsFootballDerrick Thomas Biography - Growing Up, Roll Tide To Kansas City, Career Statistics, Awards And Accomplishments, A Tragic End