Emmitt Thomas facts for kids

Emmitt Earl Thomas (born June 3, 1943) is a famous American former football player and coach. He played as a cornerback for the Kansas City Chiefs in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the NFL, he played college football at Bishop College.

Emmitt Thomas holds the Chiefs' all-time record for interceptions with 58. This amazing achievement places him among the top players in pro football history. He was recognized for his incredible career by being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Thomas also had a very successful coaching career after he stopped playing. He won a Super Bowl as a player with the Chiefs. Later, he won two more Super Bowls as an assistant coach with the Washington Redskins.

Playing for the Chiefs

Emmitt Thomas joined the Kansas City Chiefs in 1966. He was not chosen in the NFL draft, but he still made the team as a free agent. He quickly became a star player.

He was named an AFL All-Star in 1968. After the Chiefs joined the NFL in 1970, he was selected for the Pro Bowl four times. These were in 1971, 1972, 1974, and 1975. He was also chosen as an All-Pro player three times.

Key Moments as a Player

In the 1969 season, Thomas led all pro football players with 9 interceptions. He returned these interceptions for 146 yards and scored one touchdown. His great play helped the Chiefs win the AFL Championship. They then won Super Bowl IV by beating the Minnesota Vikings 23–7. Thomas even had an interception in that Super Bowl victory!

In 1974, he led the entire NFL in interceptions with 12. He also had the most return yards (214) and two touchdowns from interceptions that year.

Thomas played for 13 seasons before retiring. He finished his career with 58 interceptions, which he returned for 937 yards and five touchdowns. He also recovered four fumbles. He played in 181 games, which is one of the most in Chiefs history. His 58 interceptions are still a team record.

In 2008, Emmitt Thomas was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. His special bust, which is a sculpture of his head and shoulders, was shown on August 2, 2008.

Coaching Career Highlights

After his playing days, Emmitt Thomas became an assistant coach in the NFL in 1981. He worked with many teams.

In 2007, he became the interim head coach for the Atlanta Falcons. This happened after the previous coach, Bobby Petrino, left the team. Thomas worked to bring the team together. He led the Falcons to a win in their last game of the season against the Seattle Seahawks.

After that season, he stayed with the Falcons as an assistant head coach. Thomas was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame alongside Darrell Green and Art Monk. These were two players he coached when they won Super Bowls with the Washington Redskins.

On February 1, 2010, Thomas returned to the Kansas City Chiefs. He was hired as their secondary coach. He coached for the Chiefs until he announced his retirement from coaching on February 12, 2019.

Personal Life

Emmitt Thomas lives in Kansas City, Missouri. He was married to Jacqueline Heafley from 1983 until her passing in 2017.

He has a son named Derek and a daughter named Dedra from a previous marriage. Derek is also involved in coaching. Dedra works as a legal nurse consultant. Emmitt Thomas has eight grandchildren.

See also

• List of American Football League players