By JEFF D'ALESSIO
Florida Today

Already this offseason, he's landed a $33 million contract extension and a Hall of Fame teammate. And the best is yet to come this summer for Zach Thomas, who'll tie the knot with his girlfriend on July 5 in South Florida.

We caught up with the Miami Dolphins' star linebacker to talk about his bachelor party plans, his love for disco and more.

Question: Treated yourself to anything nice since you signed your six-year contract extension?

Answer: Well, I've got a wedding to pay for, so ...

Q: A $33 million wedding?

A: It's gonna help. Everybody always talks about that 33, but you're not seeing all that. You've got to look at the first three years (of the deal), or two years. Or it could just be one year. It's a business and if you're not playing up to your potential or up to what you're getting paid, they've got to cut you because of the salary cap. It's nothing personal and I don't take it personally. But you don't look at it as you're going to play those six years out. I hope I can.

Q: Are you a spender or a saver?

A: I'm a saver. Everybody calls me tight. There's only so many things you can have. I'm going to try to save so I don't have to worry about getting a job later on. I know the NFL stands for Not For Long and the thing is, after you're done playing, you get zero checks. Only thing you get later on is your pension. But I still have my luxuries and all that.

Q: Like what?

A: I've got a nice house. I love nice cars.

Q: What's in your garage right now?

A: I've got a (Hummer) H2, a BMW and a Cadillac.

Q: Those H2s seem to be pretty popular for being so ugly. What do you like about them?

A: They're big and they fit my personality. I had the H1. It was fun, but it was loud. It was real fun when I took it to the Everglades. I'd bring my boys in and we'd go out there and hit some spots, try to get it stuck. You know, they give you two free tows on it. But the thing is, I've got to fill up just to come to work because they go through so much gas, man. That thing will drink the gas.

Q: How do you hold up physically at your size, playing one of the most demanding positions in sports?

A: I'm very small (5-foot-11, 235 pounds), so I try to do a lot of physical preparation. I try to get massages two or three times a week during the season. I bought a hyperbaric chamber that definitely helps. I get in it three times a week. It helps you recover a lot faster. That's why most injuries happen: You're still fatigued and you pull a muscle because your muscle fibers tear. I could talk on that all day. I do a lot of things to take care of my body. Hitting the cold tub, trying to eat right. It's all a good investment, even the hyperbaric chamber, if it keeps you in the league another year.

Q: What's one of those go for?

A: Twenty grand for the one I have.

Q: Do teammates come over and use it?

A: No, no one's really used it. The first one I had was smaller, but I was so claustrophobic, I had to get rid of it. It was like burying yourself alive anytime you went in that thing.

Q: How's your offseason going? Is there such a thing in the NFL anymore?

A: There is. But I work out anyway, even a week after the season ends. People usually take a break, but I'm like an old car. You've got to keep that thing going. So I always work out. I come up here in the morning around 7 and get out by 11. It's all good.

Q: Do you work out every day?

A: I work out four times a week. And I play basketball three or four times a week, too.

Q: You any good at basketball?

A: Oh yeah. I can play. I'm short, man, so I can't really take 'em inside. That's good because I don't want to get hurt. So I just hit 'em.

Q: Who do you play with?

A: Usually Jason Taylor. O.J. McDuffie has guys over every Saturday at his house. He's got his own full court out there, so a lot of guys go play there. And I go to this gym around the corner from me.

Q: Being a Texas Tech guy, are you a Bobby Knight fan?

A: Definitely. You need somebody like that - somebody to slap around a few guys to get 'em in place. Sometimes in college, you need a little slapping.

Q: Got any vacation planned this year?

A: I've been to The Bahamas. We're looking at our honeymoon places now. I've been to Texas twice. We're going to Vegas for the bachelor party.

Q: What's on that bachelor party itinerary?

A: Man, I don't have no idea. Just another way to get a hall pass so you can get with the guys.

Q: Where'd you meet your bride?

A: I went back to see my cousin about three years ago at Tech. She was going to Tech at the time. She graduated. I didn't ever graduate, so she always gives me heck about that.

Q: Will it be a big wedding?

A: No. That's why we're not keeping it in Texas. We'll have it down here. When my sister had her wedding in Texas, people that she didn't know just invited themselves. They all act like they know you in Texas - everyone's so friendly there - but most of them are just there for the free drinks and free food.

Q: What's in your CD player these days?

A: Something hip-hop. I've got a DJ mixer at the house, so I burn off the computer and put it on the mixer. My dad used to be a DJ, so I try to do the same thing.

Q: He wasn't a hip-hop DJ, was he?

A: No, he was trash disco. He'd just do it for parties and stuff. I used to go hand him records and stuff. This is back in the day. I love disco. Most of the remakes of hip-hop are off disco.

Q: What's your favorite movie of all-time?

A: Braveheart.

Q: All football players pick that. What is it about Braveheart?

A: Man, Mel Gibson was great in that movie. Just his talks and how crazy they were, that's the way it is in football. You get everybody together and you all go fight for each other. If I try to watch Braveheart before a game, oh man, it's not good. I remember watching Gladiator before we played Seattle three or four years ago. It was a 4 o'clock game. So I watched it before the game. Shoot, I hyperventilated before introductions.

Return to Bengals front page...