KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Proof that beloved football legends are never forgotten comes from the city’s Crossroads District.
As Kansas City Chiefs fans prepare for Super Bowl LIX, one of Derrick Thomas’ sons is planning a new line of streetwear. The hip retro fashions are meant to emulate Thomas’ style, with throwback vibes that are said to be en vogue again.
It never went out of fashion for those who still celebrate Thomas’ life and career. Thomas went to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009, nine years after his untimely demise. The Chiefs defensive superstar is the franchise’s all-time leader in quarterback sacks. He also set an NFL record, recording seven sacks in one game in 1990 against the Seattle Seahawks.
Sadly, Thomas’ life ended prematurely. In 2000, he was in a terrible car crash. He died from problems stemming from a blood clot two weeks after the wreck.
“It seems like just yesterday he passed away,” Derrick Thomas Jr. shared on Friday.
Derrick Junior is working alongside designers at Made Mobb, the popular streetwear brand, which is located in the Crossroads District. The new fashion line is inspired by the gear Derrick Senior wore away from the field. Photos the Thomas Family shared showed what some of those designs might look like when they’re finished.
“When I used to see him dress, the way I would see him dress, I thought that was cool. What I pitched was – let’s make some retro clothing that looks like the things he used to wear,” Derrick Thomas Jr. said.
Derrick Junior imagines t-shirts, tracksuits, hoodies and hats, playing off fashion trends from the 1990s, which are said to be making a comeback. Made Mobb Co-Owner Vu Nguyen is enthusiastic about the designs as they come together on the drawing board.
“I think it’s awesome to tease this collaboration and open it up to the city. What does Kansas City want to see? A lot of that is pushing it out, and what would the fans want to see? What would they want to wear?” Nguyen said.
“For some people – that’s their favorite player of all time. They became a Chief because of my father. When I hear those stories, it makes me proud that I’m Derrick Junior,” Thomas said.
Oddly enough, Thomas, who wore number 58 for the Chiefs, would have turned 58 years old this year. Nguyen says the exact designs for Derrick Thomas-inspired streetwear are still being developed, but he believes the new gear will be available by the fall.