Derrick Thomas Jr. holds comedy charity event to honor his father

Derrick Thomas Jr. is holding a comedy charity event on the anniversary of his father’s passing for charity to raise money for the Third & Long Foundation.

Twenty two years have passed since the tragic day that Chiefs Kingdom learned of the news that Derrick Thomas had died. A family man, a humanitarian, and one of the greatest pass rushers to ever play the game of football on any level, Thomas’ passing left a void that remains even today. That is why so much of the work he was passionate about off the field continues to impact the lives of so many.

Derrick Thomas Jr. is inspired to keep his father’s legacy alive in the same civic spirit, and he’s doing so through the gift of laughter. Coming up on Tuesday, February 8 at the Improv in K.C., Thomas Jr. is hosting “A Night to Laugh: In Honor of Derrick Thomas“.

According to Thomas Jr. who recently spoke to Arrowhead Addict about the event, the idea of hosting a night of laughter to commemorate his father provided an interesting twist that made sense with how much his father liked to laugh.

“The idea for this event came from thinking of ways to celebrate my dad,” said Thomas Jr. “I thought hard about things I remembered he truly loved doing, and one of them was going to comedy events. So then I thought that laughter is much better than crying, and it made perfect sense to celebrate him in such a joyful way because I know he would have loved it personally.

Despite his intense demeanor on the field (and resulting production), Thomas was actually a hilarious father and teammate, according to his son.

“My dad was a hilarious guy! I will never forget that he could cut the tension in any room and bring a smile out of anyone,” he says. “That’s one thing I miss most about my dad. Being around him always meant everyone had a genuine smile and a good time. My mom and dad often had competitions to see who knew the funniest stand-up comedians. They enjoyed laughing together immensely.”

Proceeds benefit the Third and Long Foundation, a non-profit started by Chiefs legends like DT, Otis Taylor, and Neil Smith created to “sack” illiteracy in the greater Kansas City region. Thomas Jr. adds that it’s the longest-running foundation by any NFL player.

“Having an event like this to celebrate my father’s legacy is one I will always be proud to host,” says Thomas Jr. “It’s the start of being able to celebrate the man my father was on the anniversary of his passing, instead of mourning. It gives me a reason to start to look forward to celebrating my father every year and no longer mourn.”

Thomas was honored as a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his incredible production on the field and his humanitarian efforts off of it. He was invited to 9 Pro Bowls and was both a three-time First-Team and Second-Team All-Pro. With 126.5 career sacks, he is the Chiefs all-time leader and his number 58 was retired in 2009.

Don’t miss “A Night to Laugh” at the Improv with Derrick Thomas Jr. and others on Tuesday night. The event is limited to 300 seats and tickets are available here.