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The NFL is dominated by athletic marvels, whether it be dual-threat quarterbacks, unicorn left tackles, or physically imposing defensive ends. For instance, at linebacker, Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher had prototypical size and speed and accordingly were among the best defensive players of the 2000s. On the other end of the spectrum, football players lacking ideal physical attributes are often overlooked despite strong production. Instead, it takes grit and perseverance to overcome these perceptions and still be a productive player – case in point, London Fletcher and Zach Thomas were both undersized, yet were two of the best linebackers of their era as contemporaries of Lewis and Urlacher; given their similar paths to great NFL careers, it is natural to compare the pair and ask:
Who was better – London Fletcher or Zach Thomas?
The Beginning
Due to non-ideal physical measurements, Fletcher and Thomas were both NFL afterthoughts in spite of productive college careers; nevertheless, both found their way onto rosters and would overcome these initial setbacks.
Though he was a two-sport high school star in football and basketball while growing up in Cleveland, Ohio (even winning a pair of state championships for basketball), Fletcher was not a highly sought-after recruit and enrolled at Saint Francis University in Pennsylvania. He later transferred to Division III John Carroll University in Ohio to continue his career in both football and basketball; on the gridiron, Fletcher set a school record for tackles as a senior while earning Division III National Linebacker of the Year honors. Despite his production and running a 4.38 in the 40-yard dash, Fletcher went unselected in the 1998 NFL Draft and eventually signed as an undrafted free agent with the then-St. Louis Rams. As a rookie, he primarily played special teams and had 12 total tackles on the year while starting one game.
As for Thomas, the Texas native was a star high school football player in his pigskin-rabid state, earning First Team All-State honors as a senior. From there, he went on to Texas Tech University, where he started for three years and was twice an All-American and the Southwest Conference Defensive Player of the Year, as well as a Butkus Award finalist as a senior. However, Thomas’ lack of elite physical attributes caused him to drop to the fifth round of the 1996 NFL Draft, where he was selected 154th overall by the Miami Dolphins. Nevertheless, he seized the starting middle linebacker job as a rookie and went on to rack up 154 total tackles, 2.0 sacks, 3 interceptions, and 2 forced fumbles.
Career Comparison
For at least a decade apiece, Fletcher and Thomas were consistently among the league leaders in tackles, undersized middle linebackers who were the heart and soul of the defense during their primes.
In his second season with the Rams in 1999, Fletcher entered the starting lineup and had a solid season with 89 total tackles. The next year, he tallied 133 total tackles, a career-high 5.5 sacks, 4 interceptions, and 1 forced fumble before following up with a similarly well-rounded campaign in 2001: 119 total tackles, 4.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, and a career-best 4 forced fumbles. As a free agent at the end of the season, Fletcher opted to sign with the Buffalo Bills.
Over the next half-decade, Fletcher was one of the most consistently outstanding, yet underrated linebackers in the NFL. In his first year with his new club, he racked up 149 total tackles, 3.0 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles; overall, across five seasons with Buffalo, Fletcher had no fewer than 133 total tackles and 2.0 sacks in any campaign, but earned no individual honors, whether it be Pro Bowl or All-Pro selections. Perhaps most notably, during the 2005 season, he had 158 total tackles, 4.0 sacks, and 1 interception for one of his most productive years. Having toiled in relative anonymity, Fletcher once again became a free agent after the 2006 season and this time signed with the then-Washington Redskins.
Stepping again into his usual middle linebacker role, Fletcher continued his quiet dominance. Beginning his tenure with two straight seasons of ~130 total tackles (129 in 2007 and 133 in 2008), he finally received long overdue recognition with his first Pro Bowl selection in 2009: 142 total tackles, 2.0 sacks, 1 interception, and 1 forced fumble. Moreover, this would mark the start of four consecutive Pro Bowl seasons, including back-to-back Second Team All-Pro nods in 2011 and 2012:
- 2011: a career-high and league-leading 166 total tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, and 2 forced fumbles
- 2012: 139 total tackles, 3.0 sacks, a career-high 5 interceptions, and 1 forced fumble
Finally, after yet another workmanlike season in 2013 (111 total tackles and 2.0 sacks), Fletcher retired at season’s end at age 38, having never missed a game in his career (256 regular season games) and setting an all-time record for most consecutive starts at linebacker (215 games).
Along with defensive end (and future brother-in-law) Jason Taylor, Thomas was the heart and soul of Miami’s defense for a decade. Following a strong encore to his rookie season (128 total tackles in 1997), he earned the first of five First Team All-Pro selections in 1998 with 137 total tackles, 2.0 sacks, 3 interceptions (including 2 touchdowns), and 2 forced fumbles, though was not a Pro Bowler. Nevertheless, the next season, Thomas would begin a streak of five consecutive Pro Bowl seasons and make another All-Pro First Team with near identical numbers (134 total tackles, 1.0 sack, 1 interception, and 1 forced fumble). Injuries would limit him to 11 games played in 2000, but he quickly bounced back with a then career-high 155 total tackles and a career-best 3.0 sacks in 2001 for Second Team All-Pro honors. From there, Thomas had back-to-back First Team All-Pro seasons:
- 2002: a league-best 156 total tackles with 0.5 sacks and 1 interception
- 2003: 153 total tackles with 1.0 sack, 3 interceptions, and 1 forced fumble
Entering his 30s, Thomas remained a steady force at middle linebacker. After a “down” year by his high standards in 2004, he earned the final two Pro Bowls of his career: a Second Team All-Pro season in 2005 with 162 total tackles, 2.0 sacks, 1 interception, and a career-high 4 forced fumbles, followed by a 2006 First Team All-Pro campaign with a league-leading 165 total tackles, 3.0 sacks (matching a career-high) 1 interception, and 2 forced fumbles. However, this would be his last full season with the Dolphins – limited by concussions to just five games played in 2007 (and a career-low 52 total tackles), Thomas was released by Miami and signed by the Dallas Cowboys to play inside linebacker in their 3-4 defense; he had a solid lone season in Texas in 2008 (94 total tackles) before joining the Kansas City Chiefs as a free agent, but never played a game with the team. Finally, in 2010, Thomas signed a one-day deal to retire as a Dolphin, having played his last NFL game a couple years earlier at age 35.
With a longer NFL career and better durability, Fletcher played more than 70 additional regular season games vs. Thomas (256 vs. 184), thus accumulating better numbers in essentially every defensive category (tackles, sacks, interceptions, and forced fumbles). Moreover, Fletcher racked up 14 seasons with 100+ total tackles vs. 10x for Thomas; however, when it comes to accolades, the latter was better-recognized with more Pro Bowl selections (7x vs. 4x) and All-Pro nods (5x vs. none). Though both linebackers have outstanding career numbers, each currently remains on the outside looking in when it comes to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Regular Season Statistics
| London Fletcher | Player | Zach Thomas |
| 16 (1998-2013) | Seasons | 13 (1996-2008) |
| 256 | Games Played | 184 |
| 1,384 | Solo Tackles | 1,107 |
| 655 | Assisted Tackles | 627 |
| 39.0 | Sacks | 20.5 |
| 23 | Interceptions | 17 |
| 19 | Forced Fumbles | 16 |
| 3 | Defensive Touchdowns | 4 |
| 4x | Pro Bowls | 7x |
| – | All-Pro | 5x |
| 1x | Super Bowls | – |
| – | Other Awards | – |
| – | Hall of Fame Induction | – |
Source: Pro-Football-Reference.com
When it comes to the playoffs, Fletcher and Thomas were both relatively infrequent participants – the former did experience Super Bowl success early on, while the latter was never part of a true championship contender.
Fletcher’s five postseason trips were heavily front-loaded, as he never played a playoff game with Buffalo and only made two appearances with Washington. However, as a member of the Rams, he made two trips to the Super Bowl with one title:
- 1999: in Super Bowl XXXIV vs. the Steve McNair and Eddie George-led Tennessee Titans, St. Louis eked out a 23-16 victory when on the final play, fellow linebacker Mike Jones made a game-saving tackle on Titans wide receiver Kevin Dyson on the one-yard line; Fletcher tallied 29 total tackles in the playoffs, including a game-high 9 total tackles in the Super Bowl
- 2001: in Super Bowl XXXVI, the New England Patriots came away victorious 20-17 on a game-winning Adam Vinatieri field goal that would help launch Tom Brady’s career as arguably the greatest quarterback ever; Fletcher was much quieter this time around with just 2 total tackles
In contrast, Thomas also made five playoff appearances with the Dolphins, but never advanced past the Divisional Round; individually, he remained a tackling machine in the postseason, averaging double-digit tackles per game for his career.
Playoff Statistics
| London Fletcher | Player | Zach Thomas |
| 9 | Games Played | 8 |
| 41 | Solo Tackles | 61 |
| 23 | Assisted Tackles | 24 |
| 1.5 | Sacks | 1.0 |
| – | Interceptions | – |
| – | Forced Fumbles | – |
Source: Pro-Football-Reference.com
Every athlete goes through a natural career lifecycle, from starting off as a rookie to reaching peak years of performance and finally, declining into the inevitable retirement due to a combination of age and/or injury; Fletcher was an exemplar of healthy and excellence for his entire career, while concussions and other injuries eventually took a toll on Thomas. For Hall of Fame caliber players across sports, I like to look at a concept I call a “decade of dominance.” The thinking behind this is that for most Hall of Fame type careers, there are roughly 10 great seasons that define an athlete (this idea is embodied in a sense by the NFL’s All-Decade teams, of which Thomas is on for the 2000s Second Team), though due to injury or other factors, they might not be 10 consecutive years.
Decade of Dominance
| London Fletcher | Player | Zach Thomas |
| 2002-2006, 2008-2012 | Decade of Dominance | 1996-1999, 2001-2006 |
| 160 | Games Played | 152 |
| 946 | Solo Tackles | 944 |
| 500 | Assisted Tackles | 545 |
| 24.0 | Sacks | 17.0 |
| 14 | Interceptions | 16 |
| 13 | Forced Fumbles | 16 |
| 2 | Defensive Touchdowns | 4 |
Source: Pro-Football-Reference.com
Normalizing across their decades of dominance, Fletcher and Thomas have very similar numbers – on one hand, Thomas racked up more tackles and forced more turnovers in fewer games played, while on the other hand, Fletcher was more proficient at getting to the quarterback.
My Thoughts
Had you penciled in London Fletcher or Zach Thomas as your team’s middle linebacker during the 2000s, you were essentially guaranteed 100+ total tackles with a handful of sacks and turnovers forced, a testament to each player’s consistent greatness. While Thomas may have gotten more recognition during (and after) his career, I actually think Fletcher was the better player overall. In addition to playing at a high level for a longer period of time, Fletcher was the more versatile player – as great as Thomas was at stopping the run, he was relatively mediocre in pass coverage, whereas his counterpart was a complete linebacker. As to the Hall of Fame, it is surprising that neither player has been a serious contender for enshrinement – in my view, though I rank them behind contemporaries like Lewis, Urlacher, and Derrick Brooks, I believe both Fletcher and Thomas are worthy of gold jackets.
Thus, after weighing their careers against each other in terms of statistics, achievements, and impact, the winner of this faceoff is:
London Fletcher
As always, vote for your choice and leave your thoughts and comments below.
Further Reading
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