Zach Thomas discovers if the third time is a charm as he awaits tonight’s announcement whether or not he’ll become a 2022 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee.

After nine years of eligibility, this is Thomas’ third season as a finalist, and based on the field it seems as if he possesses one of his best shots of being one of the five modern-era players selected.

“Just to be in the conversation with all these greats, I won,” Thomas told The Mission Podcast. “If you know my story you know it didn’t come easy for me . . . I was a kid who was undersized, under everything. I was a slow learner. I got held back in Kindergarten. I had to overcome everything.”

The modern-era player finalists are determined by a vote of the Hall’s Selection Committee, a process that began with 122 nominees, which gets trimmed down to 26 semifinalists. That list is then cut to 15, with the Hall of Fame Class being inducted during NFL Honors, a two-hour program that will be aired live on ABC Thursday night at 9 p.m. EST.

Dallas Cowboys pass rusher DeMarcus Ware is viewed as a lock to get in as a first-ballot selection, and two others — receiver Andre Johnson and return specialist Devin Hester — made the cut as finalist in their first year of eligibility. That’s a good sign that both former Hurricanes standouts could get in this year.

Hester was arguably the greatest returner in NFL history, but the Hall-of-Fame selection committee typically moves slowly on specialists. Only three — kickers Jan Stenerud and Morten Andersen and punter Ray Guy — are in Canton. But if they are going to induct a return specialist, nobody would be more fitting than Hester, a former Suncoast High standout.

The selection committee typically lets one receiver in per class, and this year’s finalists are former St. Louis Rams standout Torry Holt, Johnson, who has a standout career with the Houston Texans, and Indianapolis Colts receiver Reggie Wayne, who is in his third season as a finalist.

Also on the ballot is offensive linemen Tony Boselli, who has been a finalist six times, and Willie Anderson, defensive linemen Richard Seymour, Jared Allen and Bryant Young, defensive backs Leroy Butler and Ronde Barber, and linebacker Sam Mills and Patrick Willis.

In his illustrious 13-year career, Thomas amassed 1,734 total tackles, 20.5 sacks, 17 interceptions, 14 forced fumbles and four touchdowns. The only linebacker who was more impressive than Thomas during his era was Ray Lewis, who was a first-ballot inductee.

A former fifth-round pick, Thomas received All-Pro honors seven times (first or second team), made seven Pro Bowls and is a member of the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2000s.

In his years with the Dolphins, he anchored one of the best defenses in the NFL, especially from 2000 to 2003. During that span, Miami ranked third, 11th, fourth and third in scoring defense.

Pass rusher Jason Taylor, who anchored that defense alongside Thomas, was a first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee in 2017.