Joe Thomas retired from the NFL on Wednesday after 11 seasons with the Cleveland Browns. As one might imagine, 11 years with the Browns didn’t amount to much winning.
8 stats about Joe Thomas’ impressively sad Hall of Fame career
Joe Thomas was good for 11 years. The Browns were not.
Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images
He mentioned on his podcast that his body had suffered plenty during his career, leading to the decision. “As a competitor, you always think that you can still do it, but there a point in your career that you get to that crossroads and you say I just can’t do it anymore, I just don’t have it in my body,” Thomas said. “My mind is good, but my body is not willing, and I think that’s where I am.”
The punishment wasn’t for nothing. He became one of the best offensive lineman the NFL has seen, and will see his bust in Canton one day.
Even though the Browns did a lot of losing, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some notable facts to be had with his career.
HE PLAYED 10,363 CONSECUTIVE SNAPS. THAT’S A LOT OF F***ING SNAPS.
The first one was a two-yard run by Jamal Lewis, and Thomas never looked back. For him to be able to play that many snaps in a row at his position is nothing short of remarkable. Nobody should be able to do that. He did. It finally ended this year after he tore his left triceps in Week 7. The Browns would fittingly go 0-16 the same season the streak ended.
He played with 20 starting quarterbacks.
That’s 20. Two-zero. In 11 seasons.
THEY ARE:
Derek Anderson, Charlie Frye, Brady Quinn, Ken Dorsey, Bruce Gradkowski, Colt McCoy, Jake Delhomme, Seneca Wallace, Brandon Weeden, Thad Lewis, Jason Campbell, Brian Hoyer, Johnny Manziel, Connor Shaw, Josh McCown, Austin Davis, Cody Kessler, Robert Griffin, Kevin Hogan, and DeShone Kizer.
That list is going to make for a great end-of-round trivia topic. Imagine patrons of a Buffalo Wild Wings trying to name as many as they can for bonus points while consuming boneless lemon pepper wings and light beers.
It’s too bad he won’t be able to play with Tyrod Taylor and/or whatever quarterback they draft.
He had 6 head coaches.
Romeo Crennel. The Browns won 10 games in his third season. I have proof.
Eric Mangini. LOL. What do you think he’s doing nowadays?
Pat Shurmur. Somebody give this man a trophy. He overcame being a bad Browns coach to getting another head coaching gig with the Giants.
Rob Chudzinski. Alright.
Mike Pettine. Looks like a Football Guy, but couldn’t save the Browns.
Hue Jackson. He might end up being good! But he’s also still 1-31!
The Browns had 2 owners.
The Lerner family owned the Browns starting in 2002, and was sold to Jimmy Haslam in 2012. An ownership change hasn’t really helped them, as the past six seasons might indicate.
He did this all for 1 team.
Browns!
They had 0 playoff appearances.
Not even when they went 10-6. WTF.
He was not a stranger to the Pro Bowl.
The most important stat of them all, however ...
Enjoy retirement, Joe.
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