Newly-retired Thomas ready for role of average Joe … for now
July 20, 2018 | Football, Mike Lucas
Sure-fire Hall of Famer weighs options after stepping away from NFL and returning to Madison
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BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer
MADISON, Wis. — Now that he's no longer in the Cleveland Browns' game plan — after 11 seasons, 167 straight games and 10,363 consecutive snaps — Joe Thomas felt the urgency to have…
A game plan.
"I want to stay busy and I've got more than enough to keep me busy," said Thomas, who retired in March after an illustrious career that will likely lead to the Hall of Fame, both college and pro.
"The big thing really for me right now is that I want to be able to step away and not over-commit myself and kind of reconnect with my family.
"I want to enjoy some of the things in the fall that I haven't been able to enjoy for a long time – specifically being a college football fan, being an NFL fan and watching the games.
"I'll be spending time with my family – maybe taking my kids to a couple of Badger games. I'll be doing a little more hunting and fishing than I've previously done.
"There are a lot of things that I've been looking forward to doing that I really haven't been able to do since I started playing college football."
Although training camps are opening around the league – "I forgot how quick those summers go when you are in the NFL" – the 33-year-old Thomas sounded content over his decision to retire.
"I am right now," he confirmed. "I spent most of the spring in Cleveland rehabbing my elbow injury; I helped out with the team and did a little bit of coaching here and there.
"Once mini-camp was over, we have transitioned to moving back to the Madison area."
Madison was a logical, inevitable landing spot for Joe and Annie Thomas, nee Annie Nelson, a former UW women's basketball player who was the leading rebounder on the 2004-05 team.
"From the time we started dating and got married (2007), we always knew that we'd end up back in Madison," he said. "We knew that we wanted to raise our kids here."
The couple are expecting their fourth child in August, joining daughters Logan and Camryn, and son Jack. "It will be weird being around for once," he admitted, "when a new baby comes."
As part of staying active in retirement, Thomas would consider a coaching opportunity.
At some point in the future, an important qualifier.
At that, coaching does run in the family.
Annie Thomas was an assistant basketball coach at Cleveland State for Kate Peterson Abiad, the former UW assistant who recruited Annie out of Hudson High School.
Meanwhile throughout his pro career, Joe Thomas has been that proverbial coach — on and off the field — mentoring young players on the vagaries of the profession.
"I love coaching," he said, "and I'd like to possibly stay involved in coaching somehow and at some level. I just don't know what that is yet.
"I looked at the commitment of the coaches at Wisconsin and in the NFL, and that's way more of a commitment than I'm ready for…
"Maybe when my kids are out of the house," he said, relenting a tad.
"I could definitely see myself doing some type of lower level coaching," he went on, "whether it be off-season training of NFL-caliber offensive lineman.
"Or maybe helping out at Wisconsin in the offseason, maybe during spring ball."
Recently, Thomas visited with Mick Byrne, the director of UW cross country and track and field. In 2005, Thomas set the school record for the indoor shot put (62 feet, 1 1/4 inches).
"I would love to be involved in some capacity," said Thomas, who won state titles in the shot and discus at Brookfield Central High School. "Even in track, where I'm not an expert as a thrower, I know a little bit. I understand the body and how it works and the biomechanics and the training methods.
"I feel like I could give some help in a lot of different areas, not just offensive linemen. I'd enjoy doing that. I enjoy teaching, I enjoy coaching. I could see myself as a part-time volunteer."
Last week, Thomas was at Camp Randall Stadium and crossed paths with Joe Rudolph, the UW offensive coordinator and O-line coach; and Ross Kolodziej, the strength and conditioning coach.
"They both encouraged me to come out and maybe a see a training camp practice," he said. "I think, for sure, I will start with that and try not to step on anybody's toes.
"I'll watch the O-line run around a little bit and see where it goes from there."
This weekend, Thomas will fly to Los Angeles where he's scheduled to spend a few days with NFL Network officials who have expressed interest in utilizing Thomas as an analyst.
"We'll see if there is something, maybe on a part-time basis, that would fit into my schedule," said Thomas, who was recruited by both ESPN and FOX shortly after announcing his retirement.
To this end, Thomas auditioned for Thursday Night Football. But FOX opted to go with its No. 1 announcing team, Joe Buck and Troy Aikman.
"I had no preparation, I had not hired a broadcast agent," said Thomas, who was paired with Kevin Burkhardt. "They didn't give me the game that I was going to do until I walked into the studio.
"So, really for me, it was basically like if I fell asleep the whole week and woke up and walked into the stadium and I was playing Michigan and I didn't know what their defense was.
"I felt so incredibly unprepared for that. I walked out of there thinking, 'Man, I didn't really prepare myself like I should have. But then, I didn't know how I should have prepared myself.
"I was a lot more prepared for my second interview and I did a better job."
Thomas was referencing his audition as an analyst for ESPN's Monday Night Football.
But that job went to Jason Witten, who just retired from the Dallas Cowboys.
"Outside of a job like that (MNF) that potentially could have gotten me off the couch and out of the house doing a full-time gig," he said, "I wasn't interested in doing anything full-time this year."
ESPN countered with a full-time in-studio position. "It was a great opportunity, a really great offer," he said. "But I just wasn't ready to commit on that level to that number of days in a year."
FOX also countered with a role as a Sunday game analyst. "Maybe the third guy or whatever," he said. "But I really wasn't ready to work on the weekends just yet."
At least not this year.
"Maybe in Year 2," he said, "I'll jump on some of those opportunities."
If that's the case, Thomas' vertical jump is much better these days after losing about 50 pounds.
"Now I'm just finding a comfortable weight that I can live at for the long term," he said. "Everyday stuff is just much easier. I've noticed that it doesn't hurt so much going up and down the stairs."
Upon further review, there's no question that the Browns will miss Thomas, one of just five players in NFL history to be selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his first 10 seasons.
The others are Hall of Famers: Barry Sanders, Lawrence Taylor, Mel Renfroe, Merlin Olsen.
As it is, Thomas will not be making a complete break from the Browns.
"We're in talks to formalize an ambassador relationship," he said. "I'm planning on five or six games. I'll be around the team, the front office and the sales and marketing side of things.
"I'll do everything I can to help them as an entire organization. I've made so many great friends and have so many great relationships through the years, I'm excited to continue to be involved."
On July 25, the Browns will report to their training facility in Berea, Ohio.
"I'll miss the locker room the most – the relationships, the friendships, the goofing around that you do in the locker room," said Thomas.
"I enjoyed practice and the week of work even more so than the games because there was so much anxiety that went around a game day."
From an O-lineman's perspective, Thomas spelled it out this way: "You do your job, and nobody notices it. Or if you fail, everybody notices it and you feel horrible."
Especially, he added, "If you give up a sack and you get your quarterback killed."
Not an issue for Thomas, who gave up 30 sacks in 11 seasons (6,680 pass-blocking snaps).
"The good part of game day," he said, "is when you walk out of that tunnel and you hear that crowd roar and the adrenaline you get. It's test day. We'll see if you prepared yourself the right way.
"But towards the end of my career, game day became a little tougher just because my body was going a little (south). There was so much pain and soreness associated with playing the game.
"I'm not sure I'll ever forget that.
"Even this year in the fall on Sundays, when I'm watching the games, maybe I'll get that little itch … and I'll miss the competitiveness of being out there."
But that too will pass once he remembers what it took out of him physically to play at the end.
"And that will be enough probably," he said, without any regrets, "to not miss it too badly."
