Hall of Fame
Position: Offensive Lineman
Years: 2003-06
Place of Birth: Brookfield, Wisconsin
Date of Birth: Dec 4, 1984
Jersey Number: 72
Height: 6-8
Weight: 313
High School: Brookfield Central HS (Brookfield, WI)
One of the most decorated players in Wisconsin history, Joe Thomas built a strong athletic and academic record during his career in Madison. He becomes the 10th Badger player to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
A unanimous First Team All-American in 2006, Thomas became the first player in Wisconsin history to claim the Outland Trophy as the most outstanding interior lineman in the nation. A three-time All-Big Ten selection, he earned consensus first team honors in 2005 and 2006 after receiving honorable mention laurels in 2004. The Brookfield, Wisconsin, native started 39 games and led the Badgers to four bowl berths, including consecutive Capital One Bowl victories to finish his career. The latter Capital One Bowl victory capped a 2006 season that saw Wisconsin go 12-1 and finish with the No. 7 final AP ranking.
A Second Team All-American in 2005, Thomas was chosen by the Touchdown Club of Columbus as the 2006 recipient of the Jim Parker Trophy as the nation’s top offensive lineman. A team captain and team co-MVP as a senior, he guided the Badgers to top 20 finishes in his last three seasons. Matching his performance on the field, Thomas was selected as an NFF National Scholar-Athlete in 2006. The three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection was a Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient and a Second Team Academic All-American as a senior. Thomas played for Bret Bielema and College Football Hall of Fame coach Barry Alvarez during his Wisconsin career.
The third overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, Thomas played all 11 seasons of his career with the Cleveland Browns. He is the only offensive lineman and one of only five players overall to be selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his first 10 seasons in the league. After Thomas retired in early 2018, the Browns enshrined the number “10,363” in their Ring of Honor in recognition of his historic consecutive-snaps- played streak.
Thomas was also a Second Team All-Big Ten selection in track and field at Wisconsin, qualifying for the NCAA championship in the shot put. Active in the community, Thomas was a finalist for the 2012 NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, and he is the only player in Browns history to claim the team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year honors in multiple seasons. Thomas currently hosts a weekly podcast with his former Browns teammate, Andrew Hawkins, called “The ThomaHawk Show,” and he has been a regular contributor to official Browns media platforms.
