<P> During the 1971 offseason, because of a contract dispute (he requested for his 3 - year contract to be rewritten) and refusing to report to training camp, he was traded to the New England Patriots, alongside Halvor Hagen and Honor Jackson, in exchange for Carl Garrett and the Patriots' No. 1 draft choice in the 1972 NFL draft . Within a week, because of problems with the Patriots and head coach John Mazur, in an unprecedented move NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle voided part of the trade, sending Thomas and Garrett back to their original teams . The Patriots kept Hagen and Jackson in exchange for a second (#35 - Robert Newhouse) and third round (possibly 1972 #64 - Mike Keller) draft choices in the 1972 NFL draft . Thomas returned to the Cowboys, but decided to keep silent all season long, refusing to speak to teammates, management, and the media . </P> <P> In October 1971, Thomas scored the first touchdown in the new Texas Stadium playing against the Patriots . That same season, Thomas led the league in rushing touchdowns (11) and total touchdowns (13). He also was named All - Pro and led the Cowboys with 95 rushing yards and a touchdown in Dallas' first franchise Super Bowl victory, a 24--3 win over the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI . Before taking part in Super Bowl VI, Thomas was asked about playing in the ultimate game . His response was: "If it's the ultimate game, how come they're playing it again next year?". In a postgame interview following that Super Bowl, CBS television announcer Tom Brookshier noted Thomas' speed and asked him, rhetorically, "Are you that fast?" Thomas responded, "Evidently". According to Hunter S. Thompson: "All he did was take the ball and run every time they called his number--which came to be more and more often, and in the Super Bowl Thomas was the whole show ." (Thompson: Fear and Loathing: On The Campaign Trail' 72) </P> <P> Thomas was reportedly voted as the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player by an overwhelming margin . Thomas, however, had boycotted the media throughout the season as well, and Larry Klein, editor of Sport, which presented the award, didn't know how Thomas would act at a banquet in New York . With this in mind Klein announced quarterback Roger Staubach as the winner . </P> <P> During the 1972 offseason he became even more isolated and insubordinate, so he was traded in early August to the San Diego Chargers in exchange for Mike Montgomery and Billy Parks . </P>

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