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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Emmitt Thomas received a fitting tribute for his |
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singular football career, both as a player and a coach, in 2016, |
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when he was inducted into the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame and |
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the Black College Football Hall of Fame; and |
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WHEREAS, Born on June 3, 1943, Emmitt Thomas first |
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established himself as a multitalented athlete at Marshall High |
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School in Angleton, where he competed on the football, basketball, |
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and baseball teams; he later played quarterback and wide receiver |
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for three years at Bishop College, and in 1966, he signed with the |
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Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Thomas spent his entire 13-year NFL playing |
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career as a cornerback for the Chiefs, and along the way, he |
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cemented his place in the pantheon of the league's all-time greats; |
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he appeared in Super Bowl I in 1967 in a loss against the Green Bay |
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Packers, and he helped return the team to the championship game in |
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1970, where it clinched the Super Bowl IV title over the Minnesota |
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Vikings; in addition, the defensive juggernaut was selected to the |
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Pro Bowl five times and earned All-Pro First Team and Second Team |
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honors three times each; upon his retirement in 1978, his career |
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total of 58 interceptions represented a franchise record; and |
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WHEREAS, This notable Texan went on to build a second storied |
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NFL career as a coach; he worked as a wide receivers and tight ends |
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coach for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1981 to 1985 and then as a |
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secondary coach for the Washington Redskins for nine seasons, |
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during which he helped guide the team to victories in Super Bowls |
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XXII and XXVI; he later enjoyed stints as a defensive coordinator |
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with the Philadelphia Eagles, the Green Bay Packers, and the |
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Minnesota Vikings; he was hired as an assistant coach by the Atlanta |
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Falcons in 2002, and eight years later, he returned to the Kansas |
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City Chiefs as a defensive backs coach, a position he continues to |
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hold to this day; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the course of a professional career spanning |
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half a century, Mr. Thomas has been accorded a host of prestigious |
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honors; he was inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1986, the |
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Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in |
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2009, and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2012, and Kansas City |
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has retired his number 18 jersey; and |
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WHEREAS, Among the most prominent and enduring figures in NFL |
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history, Emmitt Thomas has inspired generations of football fans |
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across the Lone Star State and beyond, and it is indeed a pleasure |
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to commemorate these well-deserved hall of fame honors; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Emmitt Thomas on his induction into |
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both the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame and the Black College |
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Football Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2016 and extend to |
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him sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Thomas as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |