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Derrick Thomas’s draft day for Kansas City Chiefs hits 30th anniversary

By Matt Conner

CANTON, OH - AUGUST 8: Kansas City Chiefs general manager Carl Peterson acknowledges the family of the late Derrick Thomas at his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame during the 2009 enshrinement ceremony at Fawcett Stadium on August 8, 2009 in Canton, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
CANTON, OH - AUGUST 8: Kansas City Chiefs general manager Carl Peterson acknowledges the family of the late Derrick Thomas at his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame during the 2009 enshrinement ceremony at Fawcett Stadium on August 8, 2009 in Canton, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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Today is the 30th anniversary of perhaps the single biggest draft pick in Kansas City Chiefs team history with the selection of Derrick Thomas back in 1989.

Two years ago, the Kansas City Chiefs made one of the most impactful selections in franchise history with the selection of quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the first round. Even after just one real year of production, it’s already tempting to call it the team’s “best ever” pick, given his status as reigning NFL MVP, but there’s one player who stands in the way of that being true at this point: Derrick Thomas.

On Tuesday, we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the day that Derrick Thomas officially became a member of the Kansas City Chiefs. Back in the 1989 NFL Draft, the Chiefs decided to take the University of Alabama linebacker at No. 4 overall, and the fortunes of the franchise were immediately changed.

Coming into the ’89 draft, the Chiefs were coming off of consecutive 4-win seasons, but Thomas would never win less than 7 games in a single year. In fact, he went to the playoffs in 7 of 11 years in Kansas City. Here’s a glimpse of the moment that changed everything.

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Even those most stubborn on Thomas’s pro potential could not have envisioned what he would become: arguably the greatest player in franchise history. Ten years ago, Thomas joined the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the class of 2009 with a career boasting 126.5 sacks and 41 forced fumbles. He also had 4 defensive touchdowns and 3 safeties to his credit. In his 11-year career, Thomas was a 9-time Pro Bowler, a 6-time All-Pro, a Defensive Rookie of the Year and the NFL’s Man of the Year in ’93. He also set the record for most sacks in a single game with 7.

Unfortunately, Thomas’s life tragically ended at the age of 33. After a car accident left him paralyzed from the chest down, he suffered from “cardiorespiratory arrest” which resulted in a pulmonary embolism (blood clot in his lungs) that took his life.

Thomas’s number, 58, was retired by the Chiefs back in 2009.

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