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.
2. John Harbaugh humorously applauds Thomas' 10,000th career snap
When Thomas was approaching his 10,000th career snap in the NFL, a division rival and highly-respected head coach, John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens, had this to say about Thomas:
"You can't be voted in the Hall of Fame when you're still playing, right? I think he should consider making a move toward the Hall of Fame and retire because we're getting tired of playing against him." -Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, via AP
That's high praise coming from a bitter rival and one who had to deal with game-planning against Thomas for many, many years.
3. Longtime quarterback Josh McCown sheds light on Thomas the person
Josh McCown was in the NFL for a whopping 18 seasons, having played for nine different teams during the regular seasons of his career. He was in plenty of locker rooms, having played behind countless offensive linemen, but spoke no higher of anyone than he did of Thomas:
"He’s like an all-timer. I’ve played this game for a long time with a lot of teams and a lot of teammates, and he’s got to be one of my all-time favorites. He’s a good man, a high-character person, and he works his tail off and shares his knowledge with others, serves his team to the utmost, and he’s great at his job. Not good, but great. He’s a special dude," said McCown, via AP
McCown has always been regarded as one of those high-character players, as long as he's been around the league, and for him to also recognize Thomas as a similar man speaks volumes. Game recognizes game, as they say, except this goes beyond the game. This is about Thomas' integrity, more than anything else.
4. Former teammate Joe Haden praises Thomas' work ethic and durability
Before he tore his triceps in the final season of his career, Thomas had played every single game, snap after snap, for 10 years. The injury that forced him to retire also forced his peers to look back on just how special a player he was.
"I missed a lot of games in my career, and it's a physical game. It's a tough sport. And him playing on the line, a position where you're hitting every single play, you're battling against the best pass rushers that they have, it just shows like his body, it's a blessing that you can be able to play.
"He's not only playing healthy, he's playing hurt out there, fighting for his teammates. And to play at that consistent high level, just, I can't say that enough, to go to consecutive Pro Bowls, to not miss snaps and to be there for your team every single week for 16 weeks, that's unheard of." -Joe Haden, via The Beacon Journal
5. Former teammate Karlos Dansby talks authenticity
"Before I got here I used to hear about him. 'Joe Thomas is the best tackle in the game.' I said, 'Yeah?' I never saw him play, but that's what I heard. Now since I'm here, and I see his work ethic, what he's able to do in the game ... he takes it from the practice field to the game and it's real. It is real," said Dansby, via ESPN
This kind of sums Thomas up, altogether. He was a man of high character, but also the best work ethic you'd ever seen. His track background shone through on the regular. He was athletic, but worked his tail off day-in and day-out. All of it came together to give Browns fans the gift of one of the greatest offensive linemen to ever play the game.