5 powerful quotes honoring Joe Thomas' Hall of Fame career with Browns
In celebration of the Hall of Famer, Joe Thomas, we look back at some powerful quotes that summarize who the Cleveland Browns legend was.
By Ryan Heckman
This week, we've gotten to look forward to and celebrate the Hall of Fame inductee, the Cleveland Browns legend and one of the most beloved players the league has ever seen, offensive tackle Joe Thomas.
Thomas is receiving a much, much-deserved Hall of Fame nod with the class of 2023, and there aren't many players you could argue deserve it more than he does within this year's class.
The 10-time Pro Bowler (all consecutive, by the way) and 6-time All Pro hung up his cleats following the 2017 season, and was a surefire bet to make it as soon as he was eligible. Now, it is his time.
In honor of Thomas' induction and career, let's take a look back at five of the most meaningful and powerful quotes that sum up who he was as both a man and a player.
1. A selfless quote by Thomas himself
"It was always important for me to be out there because I knew the other guys needed it ... they were playing for their next contract, playing for their jobs. I'd already accomplished a lot in my career towards the end, where if I got banged up or we weren't playing for anything, it probably would've been easy to just hang it up and rest and think about next year.
"But their future was more important. And I knew our offense, our line specifically, was best when I was out there. That's why I have a lot of pride in [that record]. It was always important for me to be there for them, to be reliable and consistent and always strive for perfection." -Joe Thomas, via ESPN
This was a quote Thomas made in regards to why he continued to play, snap after snap, late in his career, even though he might have had excuses to either retire or rest a bit due to injury. Thomas wanted to continue putting it on the line for his teammates, most of them younger, in order to see them have the best chance at success.
That's who Thomas was as a player and person. On the field and off the field, you can talk to as many teammates and coaches you'd like, and you'll get the same answers. This is who he was.