Joe Thomas inducted into Browns’ Legends program
By Steven Storrie
Welcome back to the basement. It is cold and dark and miserable here. No prizes for guessing why. Amidst the wreckage of the Cleveland Browns devastating, unfathomable, loss to the New York Jets in their home opener, though, there was one piece of good news, one shaft of shining light. One good memory to cherish and sustain us going forward over these coming gloomy days of soul searching and self doubt; Joe Thomas was inducted into Browns Legend Program during halftime.
The former Browns left tackle got the sun-filled day off to a perfect, rousing start, emerging from the tunnel at FirstEnergy Stadium to the strains of ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine‘ by Guns N Roses. Clad in a Browns home jersey bearing his number 73, Thomas waved to the crowd, smiling, before pulling a white electric guitar from a box and proceeding to smash it to smithereens.
So far, so good. By the end of the afternoon, though, the guitar would not be the only thing laying in pieces on the floor.
Much beloved by Clevelanders everywhere, Thomas played 11 seasons for the Browns, from being selected third overall in the 2007 draft, to his retirement in 2018. Famed for his dedication and effort when all around him was often crumbling, he never gave less than 100 percent on the field, sometimes seeming to be the only one trying on some inferior Browns teams.
He made 10 Pro Bowls, came third in voting for Rookie of the Year in 2007, was named All-Pro six times, and famously holds the record for continuous snaps played, a staggering streak of 10,363, the longest since 1999 when such information was first recorded.
Indeed, it’s one of the modern games travesties that Thomas never got to enjoy more success in Cleveland, for few people have deserved it more. Thomas never even got to experience the playoffs. A crying shame that hopefully is at least somewhat compensated with the love Browns fans everywhere now have for him.
Taking to the field with his wife, Annie, and their four children, and his parents, all wearing home jerseys with the number 73, Thomas received a brown jacket from ex-linebacker and class of 2021 inductee D’Qwell Jackson. Alluding to the day in 2007 when he was drafted, Thomas told the crowd at FirstEnergy that ‘it was time to go fishing as soon as the Browns get this win’.
He famously elected to skip Draft Day in New York to go fishing with his father instead. He might wish he’d charted a boat during the second half instead of sticking around for the rest of the afternoon.
Still very much involved with the Browns off the field, Thomas is one half of the very popular Thom & Hawk podcast, along with friend and former Browns teammate Andrew Hawkins. Though now resident in his native Wisconsin, Thomas regularly returns to Ohio, and he will always be welcomed with great love and adoration. Who knows, maybe he can still suit up?
The Browns certainly could have done with him yesterday.
