Lucas at Large: Thomas’ mentality put him on path to Canton
March 21, 2018 | Football, Mike Lucas, Varsity Magazine
Embarking on retirement, Badgers great reflects on his dominant decade in the NFL
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BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
MADISON, Wis. — Joe Thomas was trying to keep his emotions in check Monday during a press conference that celebrated his career — 11 NFL seasons with the Cleveland Browns — and foreshadowed a trip to Canton.
"I went over it a few times and kind of went to that place with my brain," said the 33-year-old Thomas, "where I wouldn't think about anything that would get me too emotional."
He even used humor, cracking on former coaches and teammates, to keep it light.
"I wanted to make sure I could hold it together," he went on, "and get out the proper thanks to all the people who deserved it. I thought it went pretty well."
A bittersweet day for me today as I announce my retirement. Thank you to all of the; fans, media, coaches, teammates, and members of the Cleveland Browns organization. It's been the best 11 years anyone could have asked for.
— Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) March 14, 2018
But he started to lose it at the end of his prepared remarks. Especially while thanking the loyal Browns fans who will honor him with his own day: No. 73 will be toasted on 7/3 in Cleveland.
That night, Thomas drew a standing ovation after being introduced during a timeout of the Cavaliers-Milwaukee Bucks game. LeBron James bear-hugged Thomas. A legends thing.
All along, James has been assuring everyone, "He'll be in the Hall of Fame soon."
CLEVELAND LEGENDS. @KingJames showing some love to @joethomas73. #ThankYou73
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) March 19, 2018
Thomas started to lose it again.
"I was able to hold it together — for the most part — the whole day," he said.
Over the years, Thomas has collected and filed away these heartfelt moments.
Like the one from 2006 and his final Wisconsin game at Camp Randall Stadium.
"Those are the days that you remember forever," he was saying Tuesday. "Those are the ones you think about when you're telling your kids about your football career.
"Those are the days, 10 to 20 years from now, when you're sitting around with your buddies and former teammates, and they're going to come up in conversation over a couple of beers."
• • • •
Less than 24 hours after his retirement, when everyone was still talking about him, and his potential future as a TV analyst, Thomas was talking about a Cleveland teammate and another Joe.
"Joe Schobert has been awesome," Thomas said.
Schobert, a former UW walk-on from Waukesha and a fourth-round draft pick in 2016, tied for the league lead in tackles (144) and was one of only three defensive players to take every snap (1,068).
That durability alone endeared Schobert to Thomas, who saw his own personal streak of 10,363 consecutive snaps come to an end in late October because of a season-ending triceps injury.
That also ended Thomas' string of 10 straight Pro Bowls. As it turned out, Schobert was Cleveland's lone representative in the game, replacing injured Pittsburgh linebacker Ryan Shazier.
"His career to this point," Thomas said of Schobert, who's found a home at middle inside linebacker, "perfectly represents what it means to be a Badger; what it means to come from the state of Wisconsin.
"It's sort of, 'I'm willing to do anything for my team.' He has the mentality that, 'I'm going to come to work every day and give my best effort.'"
It's tempting to call it the Joe Thomas mentality. But Thomas would clearly reject it and likely suggest a more all-encompassing label, something like the "Wisconsin mentality." Or the Badger Way.
Joe Thomas in one emoji: ?? Congrats on an incredible 11-year @NFL career with the @Browns Next stop: Canton. #OnWisconsin
— Wisconsin Football (@badgerfootball) March 14, 2018
It would surely apply to another Waukesha native on the Cleveland roster, starting guard Kevin Zeitler, who prepped at Wisconsin Lutheran and was a 2011 All-American for the Badgers.
Zeitler played every snap (1,068) last season. So, did center Travis Frederick (1,065) in Dallas and tackle Ryan Ramczyk (1,037) in New Orleans. Did someone say the Badger Way?
"The hard work, the blue-collar mentality, the unselfishness, the team-first attitude," Thomas said, reciting attributes. "Those core values that the football team has, that the university has, that the state has … those are all the qualities that became a part of who I am and shaped me as a person and an athlete."
• • • •
Thomas was mentored at Brookfield Central High School by another not-so-ordinary Joe … Joe Panos, the face of UW walk-ons and the co-captain of the 1993 team that won the Rose Bowl.
"We maintained a good friendship through college and the NFL," Thomas said of Panos, who's now a successful NFL player agent. "He's a guy who I still talk to this day."
Awesome day in Berea! Thanks to the Browns organization for such a cool day. The love and respect is mutual and greatly appreciated!
— Joe Thomas (@jthomas73) March 19, 2018
Paul Chryst is also on speed dial.
Thomas couldn't remember their first meeting. Maybe it was in the nurse's office at the high school. Joe's mom was the nurse and Chryst was the in-state recruiter in charge of landing Thomas.
"Paul was the lowest man on the totem pole with the Badgers at the time," Thomas joked. "You couldn't get any lower. He was below assistant team managers and equipment staff interns."
For the record, he was the tight ends coach.
Turning serious, Thomas said, "From the moment I met Paul, we hit it off. We both had the same sense of humor. We saw football the same way. We saw life the same way.
"Really, he was a big reason why I decided to go to Wisconsin."
Thomas took football recruiting trips to Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Colorado and Nebraska.
"I was still mulling track and field at the time, so I also visited Kansas," said Thomas, who threw the shot and discus. "I wanted to visit there to see if that was the best thing for me at the next level."
UW coach Barry Alvarez, along with track coach Ed Nuttycombe, countered the Jayhawks by laying out a plan whereby Thomas could compete in both sports, logistically and effectively.
"They were definitely men of their word," Thomas said. "During the football season, it was obviously all football. During the track and field season, it was track first, spring football second.
"Through my two years on the track team, I may have missed only a practice or two for meets. There really wasn't any interference at all."
"It's been an amazing ride for the last 11 years." A message from @joethomas73 to the fans: #ThankYou73
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) March 14, 2018
The NFL? Or the Olympics? What did Thomas dream about as a youngster?
"My parents were great about pushing education and giving me the facts," he said. "They told me very few kids are actually good enough to play in the NFL, so don't count on it, basically.
"So, I had dreams of being an Olympian and dreams of being an NFL player. But I don't think they were anything that I thought were actually going to happen."
When did he think it might happen for him in football?
"It wasn't until my junior year," he said, "when people started asking me if I was going to come out early (for the NFL draft). That's when I realized that I had a future in football.
"That's when I realized that I might be able to actually make this a career."
• • • •
There was another poignant moment involving Thomas where Alvarez kept his word. This was after Thomas blew out his ACL while playing on defense against Auburn in the 2006 Capital One Bowl.
"We were short defensive linemen and someone said, 'How about Joe?'" Alvarez recalled. "We put him in for one inside drill (in practice) and he disrupted the whole offense. So we put him on defense."
Did he later second-guess the move? "Hell yeah," Alvarez confided.
After beating Auburn, but losing Thomas to the injury, Alvarez sobbed in the locker room with Thomas' dad and stressed to him, "We're going give Joe great care and he's going to be okay."
Why made Alvarez think that way? "Because I knew how hard Joe would work," he said.
Joe Thomas, who is retiring, had a consecutive snap streak that spanned from Sept. 9, 2007 to Oct. 22, 2017. Perspective: His streak started 10 weeks before the original iPhone went on sale.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) March 14, 2018
Thomas keeps in touch with many of his friends from his college playing days.
"Wisconsin has always had a tight-knit locker room," he said, "and the relationships that were built during my time are strong bonds that run deep. They are some of my best friends to this day."
Thomas and his wife Annie, a former UW basketball player, are planning on relocating to Wisconsin with their three small children. They have two young girls and a 2-year-old son.
Thomas has been considered for on-air analyst jobs with ESPN and FOX.
"I have a few more auditions, a few more people to interview with," he said. "I'm kind of weighing my options and seeing if there's a situation that is the perfect fit, the right fit for me.
"I'm not in any rush to get involved with any of the networks."
What about coaching?
"I have a deep passion for coaching," he said. "I love helping teach kids and young men. I've got a lot of knowledge over 11 NFL seasons. I've played for six head coaches and countless offensive line coaches. I think I've played in every offensive system known to man.
"I feel like I've got a lot of good, important knowledge in my head. But the hours that coaching takes would be too great for me.
"I want to pursue some type of volunteer, part-time position or even do some individualized training during the offseason. That would give me an opportunity to stay around the game."
Any interest in returning to UW?
"That would be fun," he said. "I have a great relationship with Paul Chryst. I think it would be fun to help out in some way. Obviously, I don't want to get in the way. They have great coaches there."
Thomas has seen just one game at Camp Randall since leaving school.
"One of the things I'm most looking forward to now that my falls are going to have a little more free time," he said, "is being the true Badger fan that I am."
• • • •
In the end, Thomas was forced to retire because of a balky knee that limited his practice time.
"From January 1, 2017 until I got hurt (Oct. 22, 2017), I think I participated in three or four practices," said Thomas, who broke out into laughter Tuesday.
"If you can imagine playing almost eight NFL games this year and only being able to practice three times … it was a struggle."
And, yet, Thomas played every snap on game days until tearing his triceps against Tennessee.
How did he do it? How did he prepare without practicing?
"That was the toughest part — getting ready for game day," he said. "Knowing you were going to go through 65 to 70 plays and take that beating on your body, it became mentally challenging.
The weekly rehab would call for his knee to get drained, an injection and pain meds.
"And you still know it's going to be bothering you," he said. "You hope the adrenaline and environment of game day is able to get you over the hump and allow you to play well enough …"
Well enough? "…. where it doesn't affect you," he said, completing the thought.
But why? Why did go through all of this on a team that didn't win a game (0-16) last season?
"I was there for my teammates," he said. "Trying to do everything I could to help the team win was important to me. I felt that duty and loyalty to the guys around me to be out there every day."
The Joe Thomas mentality.
