Tag: Joe Thomas

Former Browns OT Joe Thomas ranked as the best player from the 2007 NFL draft Class

Former Cleveland Browns Left Tackle and Hall of Famer Joe Thomas was ranked as the best player from the 2007 NFL draft class according to PFF.

Pro Football Focus announced that former Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Joe Thomas was the greatest player from the 2007 NFL draft.

The rankings are based on the player’s career PFF grades. Joe Thomas’s career PFF grade was 95.1. It is a testament to how refined and technical he was as a player. Thomas was a craftsman who perfected his technique over a ten-year career. While his contemporaries may have been stronger or faster, no one could match Thomas’s down-to-down consistency. He was the cornerstone of a franchise that was anything but consistent. 

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Thomas’s consistency is highlighted best by his PFF grades compared to his peers. Thomas scores well ahead of the other three Hall of Fame players from the 2007 NFL draft. The 2007 NFL draft may go down as one of the best drafts in the history of the NFL. It could potentially see four more class members in the Hall of Fame. Adrian Peterson, Marshawn Lynch, Marshal Yanda, and Eric Weddle could all be enshrined in Canton by the end of the decade.

No matter how many players get into the Hall of Fame, Joe Thomas was the best player. There was a lot of debate in 2007 about whether the Browns should draft Adrian Peterson, Calvin Johnson, or Joe Thomas. While all of them would’ve helped, the Browns made the right choice choosing Joe Thomas. He brought respectability to an unrespectable franchise. 

Hall of Famer Joe Thomas not interested in Browns’ OL coaching job

The Browns will look elsewhere.

Despite their opening at offensive line coach, Joe Thomas is not interested in returning to the Cleveland Browns.

Many have clamored for the Browns to reach out to their 10-year left tackle and first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer after the departure of Bill Callahan. However, now six years removed from the game, Thomas is not rushing to get back into it.

Thomas told Cleveland dot com:

“I won’t be interested in NFL or college jobs until my kid are in college. Maybe not even then, but certainly not until then.”

The Browns currently have one candidate in-house in assistant offensive line coach Scott Peters. They also interviewed former Seattle offensive line coach Andy Dickerson for their offensive coordinator gig. Could they get him to come to town as the offensive line coach instead? Mike Munchak, who has been out of coaching since the 2021 season, could also be a candidate to return to coaching.

The offensive staffing overhaul continues, but it will not include the Hall of Fame left tackle.

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WATCH: Browns drop playoff hype video featuring Joe Thomas

As the Browns get set to take on the Texans, they have released a new hype video with the help of a familiar face.

For the first time since 2020, the Cleveland Browns are heading to the playoffs. Ahead of the matchup with the Houston Texans, the Browns have dropped a playoff hype video featuring an old friend in Pro Football Hall of Fame left tackle Joe Thomas.

And the buzz surrounding this team, led by the emergence of quarterback Joe Flacco, is deafening. As they get set to take on rookie sensation quarterback C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans, the Browns are doing their best to get the fans ready for this Wild Card matchup as well.

They are favored in this game over the Texans, a team they dismantled just four weeks ago. Can they do it again for the second time in a month inside of NRG Stadium?

Tune into the hype video here, as we only have five days until Flacco and the Browns look to take down the Texans and continue their march toward a Super Bowl.

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Wisconsin legend Joe Thomas inducted into the Cleveland Browns’ Ring Of Honor

Wisconsin legend Joe Thomas was honored on Sunday:

It was a big weekend for former Wisconsin Badgers in the NFL. Two of the program’s recently retired legends were honored by their franchises at halftime of Sunday’s games — first defensive end J.J. Watt by the Houston Texans, and now offensive tackle Joe Thomas by the Cleveland Browns.

Thomas retired from the NFL after the 2017 season. He did so as arguably one of the greatest tackles in the sport’s history. His 11-year career included 10 Pro Bowls, six First-Team All-Pro honors and an NFL record streak of 10,363 consecutive snaps

After being inducted into the NFL Hall Of Fame a few months ago, the former Badger was back in Cleveland on Sunday to be inducted into the Browns’ Ring Of Honor:

Wisconsin is OLU and here are the numbers to prove it

Wisconsin is OLU and here are the numbers to prove it

Wisconsin football has been known for a few key positions throughout the past few decades, but arguably none more than the offensive line. The Badgers have been one of the nation’s top offensive line schools since the Barry Alvarez era, and has produced a number of fantastic pros at the position.

The Badgers recently posted numbers that show just how much of an offensive line factory UW is. Since 1993, the Badgers have had 30 offensive lineman drafted, which is tied for first overall in the Big Ten during that time period. Of those picks, seven went in the first round while 20 of the 30 went in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft.

Joe Thomas, one of the greatest players to ever come out of Wisconsin, headlined the graphic fresh off of his recent NFL Hall of Fame induction:

WATCH: Browns legend Joe Thomas is inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame

One of the best Cleveland Browns of all time received the ultimate honors Saturday

There was never any doubt after former Cleveland Browns left tackle Joe Thomas retired that he wouldn’t be a first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer. On Saturday, that day finally came as Thomas was enshrined in bronze forever in Canton, Ohio. He got emotional thanking everyone that helped him along the way his parents, his children, and his wife Annie who he credited with being his rock.

Thomas talked about being accepted by Cleveland from the moment he stepped off the plane and how the values of the town matched those he grew up with. At the end of the speech he thanked Cleveland for everything and always being there despite losses piling up.

Let’s take a look at the highlights from the Browns legend’s big day.

LOOK: Wisconsin legend Joe Thomas inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame

It was awesome to see Joe Thomas inducted into the Hall of Fame this weekend:

It was a big week for the Wisconsin football program. First, training camp began at UW-Platteville as the team prepares under new Head Coach Luke Fickell for the 2023 season.

Second, which I don’t necessarily love, Oregon and Washington finalized plans to join the Big Ten in 2024 along with former Pac 12 counterparts USC and UCLA.

And third, most importantly, Wisconsin legend Joe Thomas was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Regarded as arguably the best offensive tackle of the generation, and one of the best in Wisconsin Badger history, Thomas played 11 seasons for the cellar-dwelling Cleveland Browns. Despite the team’s record and blocking for more than 20 quarterbacks over the course of his career, Thomas earned First-Team All-Pro honors six times, Second-Team All-Pro honors twice and made 10 Pro Bowls.

Now, he’s immortalized in Canton, Ohio:

WATCH: Wisconsin legend Joe Thomas’ path to the NFL Hall Of Fame

A great look at Thomas’ path to Canton:

Football is officially back. Not the college variety, unfortunately. But last night was the annual NFL Hall Of Fame game. The Browns beat the Jets 21-16 as the NFL’s 2023 Hall Of Fame class was officially announced.

Among those names is Wisconsin legend Joe Thomas. The Brookfield, Wisconsin native earned his induction only six years after playing his final NFL season in 2017.

The 10-time Pro Bowler, six-time First Team All-Pro and two-time Second Team All-Pro offensive tackle has a fascinating path from Brookfield, to Madison, and to Cleveland where despite the team losing every season, he was inarguably the NFL’s best tackle of the generation.

The Wisconsin Football Twitter account, or ‘X’ I guess, put out a great video yesterday telling that story:

Thomas and the rest of the Class of 2023 will be officially enshrined in Canton, Ohio later this week.

Joe Thomas says Peyton Manning gave him a really gross way to force a theoretical Browns trade to the Broncos

It was all about “literally” making a stink on the Browns’ GM’s desk.

Joe Thomas, who will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend, played his entire, incredible career with the Cleveland Browns.

But could he have joined the Denver Broncos to help win a Super Bowl with Peyton Manning? While speaking with ESPN’s Adam Schefter, he claimed that the quarterback tried to help get him to Denver with … a really gross idea.

Per Thomas, he didn’t think the Browns wanted to trade him at the time even though there might have been a fair deal in place. So Manning apparently told him, “Joe, I think you should go up to your GM’s office, and uh, make a stink. Literally, I want you to go up there, pull your pants down and make a stink on his desk because that’s the only way Cleveland will trade you.”

We know Peyton’s a funny guy. I don’t think he was being serious? Maybe??

Joe Thomas talks Hall of Fame, and shares his all-time NFL offensive line

Browns legend offensive lineman, Joe Thomas, speaks with USA TODAY Sports about the Hall of Fame.

Joe Thomas was one the best offensive linemen in NFL history. 

His resume is stellar, including 10 Pro Bowls, six First-team All-Pro selections – he’s a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, and this Saturday will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

With those credentials, there aren’t many better suited to provide an all-time offensive line list. 

Appearing with Mackenzie Salmon on USA TODAY’s Sports Seriously, the legendary Browns tackle ran down his top five. 

Thomas’ first selection was tackle Walter Jones, a nine-time Pro Bowler for the Seahawks who was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2014. 

Immediately after that pick, Thomas told Salmon that you “can’t vote for yourself. It’s like student council in fourth grade.” 

Jones’ teammate Steve Hutchinson was chosen as one of the guard positions; along with Steve Hutchinson, who starred for the Seahawks, Vikings and Titans. 

Mike Webster, who won four Super Bowls with the Steelers is the center, with 11-time Pro Bowler Jonathan Ogden rounding out the line at the other tackle position. 

Joe Thomas also told Sports Seriously about what it meant to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and even gave his thoughts on the upcoming Cleveland Browns season. 

To hear the entire Joe Thomas interview click on the link above.