[Bob Dole]

And here's the speech section.

What follows is my presentation in Miami. It’s not a transcript, but an outline that I carried into the room:

“We’ve talked about some great players here this morning and I’ve got another one to introduce into the mix. Derrick Thomas was the impact defensive player of his generation. The numbers and testimony are there to back up that claim. Over his 11 seasons, he was a factor to be accounted for on every play. He was a defensive player that changed the games he played in. And it wasn’t just the games on Sunday or Monday night. He affected the weeks leading up to games, because he had to be accounted for on each snap.

I’ve quoted before and will again if anybody would like to hear, the comments from coaches like Marv Levy, Dan Reeves, Mike Shanahan, Tom Flores, Art Shell, Jim Fassel and Bill Cowher, along with quarterbacks like John Elway, Jim Kelly, Warren Moon, Dave Krieg and Steve Young about the effect Thomas had on game preparation.

Despite that attention, despite the efforts to control him, Thomas still produced on the field. He was the game changing defensive player of the 1990s. That’s why he was voted into nine Pro Bowls and was seven times 1st or 2nd team All-Pro by media voters. He holds the NFL record with seven sacks in a single game; that came during the 1990 season, his second year in the league. His six-sack game came during his 10th season … this guy was a top pass rusher throughout his career, from start to his unexpected finish. That’s two of the top three sack games in NFL history.

There were his 126.5 sacks in 169 games. But it wasn’t just the sacks, it was what came from those plays and that’s takeaways. He caused 45 fumbles, recovered 19 fumbles, and scored four touchdowns and three safeties. Thanks to the research of Rick Gosselin, I want to focus on those 45 fumbles caused. That number ranks him at the top of pass rushers in the league over the last 20 years when it comes to knocking the ball loose.

It was not just the sack with Derrick Thomas; it was the takeaway. Rick has more of these numbers but the key is this: the only other defensive player who could match the mayhem Thomas created with his 45 fumbles caused was Bruce Smith, who also forced 45 fumbles. But Bruce Smith did that in 110 more games than Thomas played. Again, Thomas caused 45 fumbles in 169 games. Smith caused 45 fumbles in 269 games.

Said John Elway: “He was always grabbing with his left arm, while chopping at your arm with his right hand. He had more in mind than killing the quarterback, he wanted the ball.”

Said Jim Kelly: “If I was a coach today, I would show my pass rushers a highlight tape of Derrick and teach them that style, going for the turnover.”

Added Art Shell: “The sack with a turnover, that’s as devastating a play as there is in the game and that was Derrick.”

In his 11 years, the Chiefs made the playoffs seven times, and had just one season with a losing record. In that time, the Chiefs defense ranked among the best in the NFL. The Chiefs ranked on average: 9th in yards allowed, 9th in sacks, 7th in takeaways and 5th in points allowed and 10th in rushing yards allowed. He was the catalyst behind those numbers. To get to the third and long downs and the pass rush, he had to help stop the run on first down. That’s something the Chiefs defense did quite well over the 1990s. Again, he was the catalyst.

Derrick Thomas was a true impact player. It was Hall of Famer Jackie Slater who gave me the definition of an impact player as one who effects the 11 guys on the other side of the line of scrimmage, and the 10 guys playing with him. That was Derrick Thomas.

A player who was the best of his generation and by the acclimation of his opponents was a dominant factor in any game he played deserves a place in the Hall of Fame.”