Joe Thomas selected as Crazylegs Classic Grand Marshal
April 11, 2019 | Football, General News
Former Badger and NFL great to kick off 2019 run/walk
Wisconsin Athletics is pleased to announce that Wisconsin football All-American and 10-time NFL Pro Bowl selection Joe Thomas will serve as the Grand Marshal for this year's Crazylegs Classic.
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"I'm looking forward to being this year's Grand Marshal," Thomas said. "It's an honor to be a part of the Crazylegs Classic. It's a special event and it's going to be fun to cheer on all of the runners and walkers.
"I can wait to see everyone cross the finish line inside Camp Randall Stadium and share race day with so many Badgers fans!"
Considered one of the greatest offensive linemen of all time, Thomas was a letterwinner for the Badgers in both football and track and field (shot put, discus). A team captain from Brookfield, Wisconsin, Thomas won the Outland Trophy as the nation's top interior lineman and was recognized as a unanimous first-team All-American in 2006.
Drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round (third overall pick) of the 2007 NFL Draft, Thomas went on to play his entire 11-season career for the Browns. He was invited to the Pro Bowl in each of his first 10 seasons and did not miss a single play — spanning 10,363 consecutive snaps — until 2017, his final year in the league. His run is the longest streak in NFL history. Thomas earned seven first-team and two second-team All-Pro selections, in addition to being the only offensive lineman in NFL history to be voted to 10 consecutive Pro Bowls.
Recently retired and back in the Madison area, Thomas is married to Annie (Nelson), a former UW women's basketball player who was the team's leading rebounder during the 2004-05 season. Annie was also an assistant basketball coach at Cleveland State. They now have four children. In his free time, Thomas currently co-hosts the ThomaHawk Show podcast.
"We are very excited to welcome Joe to be part of the Crazylegs Classic," said Mike Cerniglia, Executive Director of the W Club. "The energy and fun of race day is a Madison tradition and we couldn't be more proud to have one of our former Badgers letterwinners and alumni here to help us celebrate."
Thomas will preside over this year's festivities on Saturday, April 27. The start is set for the UW Library Mall, then racing through the heart of the UW campus and downtown Madison for both the run and walk.
Camp Randall Stadium awaits with finish lines for both runners and walkers before post-race festivities begin, including live music from the band Universal Sound and the UW Marching Band performing with the spirit squad and Bucky Badger. The event also marks one of Mike Leckrone's last outings leading the Badger Band.
