Miami Dolphins former linebacker Zach Thomas (right) poses with his bust and former quarterback Dan Marino during the 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Zach Thomas Hosting Travel Party for Spain Game

Originally posted on Miami Dolphins on SI
By Greg Creese | Last updated May 14, 2025 4:07 PM ET

The Miami Dolphins are hoping they'll have strong crowd support when they face the Washington Commanders in Spain during the 2025 season, and Hall of Fame linebacker Zach Thomas will be there to cheer on his former team.

Thomas actually will be on hand in an official capacity as host for the "Miami Madrid 2025 Takeover."

Thomas is partnering with Big Game Travel, a company that specializes in providing travel packages to sporting events, to put together a trip for 200 guests to Madrid to see the Dolphins take on the Commanders on November 16.

The Dolphins-Commanders game is the first National Football League game ever played in Spain. With that, Big Game Travel has started accepting deposits of $300 for the trip. Potential travelers who place their deposit before June 10 will be entered into a raffle for one of two autographed Thomas jerseys. Deposits are fully refundable up until May 20.

Included in the trip is nonstop airfare, airport transfers in Spain and hotel accommodations.

Thomas will be involved in a happy hour with travelers, a pep rally and a tailgate party before the Dolphins and Commanders kick off November 16.

LAST TIME OVERSEAS NOT SO GREAT

The NFL announced the Dolphins as the designated home team in the historic first-ever regular season game in Spain on January 17. The 2025 NFL Madrid game will take place at the iconic Bernabéu Stadium, home to Spanish soccer team Real Madrid C.F, in partnership with the city of Madrid and Comunidad de Madrid.

Notably, Thomas was a part of the Dolphins team in his final year of 2007 that played in the first-ever international NFL regular season game. The Dolphins hosted the New York Giants at Wembley Stadium in London, England, on October 28, 2007. The Giants defeated Miami, 13–10, but Thomas didn’t make the trip.

Thomas had suffered a concussion in Week 2 against the Cowboys that had him inactive for a few games. Then on October 21, he was involved in a car accident in which he suffered whiplash, re-instigating his concussion, followed by migraines. Thomas didn’t play in the Week 8 game in London and eventually was placed on the injured reserve list in December due to the migraines, effectively ending his historic, Hall of Fame-worthy tenure with the Dolphins.