CANTON, Ohio — As finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, 49ers great Patrick Willis could have considered Zach Thomas a rival.
After all, they both played linebacker and were competing for one of five coveted spots among the modern-era candidates.
However, Willis did not see it that way.
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When it came time for the selection committee to elect the Class of 2023, Willis wanted it made clear to all the voters that Thomas should get the honor over him.
“I’ve always paid attention to those who came before me and were doing the things I was interested in doing,” Willis said on the latest "49ers Talk." “And Zach Thomas was a linebacker for the [Miami] Dolphins back in my middle-school days.
“There were a few times I’d see Zach Thomas and I’d say, ‘Man, that guy is all over the place. He’s a thumper.’ ”
Thomas played 13 seasons in the NFL, retiring after the 2008 season. He was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection and a five-time All-Pro.
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Yet, Thomas still had not been elected into the Hall of Fame when Willis’ time arrived for consideration.
“I was [watching him] as a young teenager, then here we are years later in this conversation with someone I admired growing up,” Willis said.
Thomas likely was going to get into the Hall of Fame at some point. But Willis’ strong endorsement could have pushed Thomas over the top last year.
Willis played his final season in 2014 at the age of 29. He retired due to chronic foot issues after spending all eight of his NFL seasons with the 49ers. He knew he had plenty of time to be elected into the Hall of Fame.
Willis genuinely wanted Thomas' long wait to come to an end, and he was willing to sacrifice his own chances for the benefit of someone he admired.
Willis only had to wait one more year, as he was elected into the Class of 2024.
“When we leave the game, I feel like we become dust in the wind,” Willis said. “And I was seeing how it affected guys. I’ve seen older players when they get love, how it brightens their day.
“I always told myself, ‘I’d love to see every old player or ex-player get love now and forever more.’ So if that means I’m going to have to wait a little while to get in — if that would be the case, because there were still no guarantees I’d get into the Hall of Fame.”
Word quickly got back to Thomas what Willis did for him.
“He called me right after he got inducted into the Class of 2023, and he said, ‘Man, I just want to thank you,’ ” Willis said. “To me, it was just an honor to have a conversation with him and hear the joy that came from it.”
On Friday, the day before Willis' enshrinement, he and Thomas met up in a hotel lobby and spoke for several minutes.
Now, they are forever teammates in the birthplace of professional football with the bronze busts to prove it.
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