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COM | SUNDAY, JULY 23, 2023 | 25S

PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2023

Joe Thomas
Continued from Page 24S

was often overshadowed by organiza-

tional ineptitude and dysfunction. He
played for two ownership groups, six
general managers, six head coaches and
eight offensive coordinators and
blocked for 20 of the 34 quarterbacks
who have started for the Browns since
1999.
“You see a guy that great playing on a
team that is not having any production,
and you feel bad for the guy,” Dieken
said. “His team never really won, but he
kept making Pro Bowls. It’s a business
about respect, and he obviously had the
respect of his opponents.”
Thomas made the Pro Bowl in each of
his first 10 professional seasons. In his
11th season, he suffered a torn left tri-
ceps against the Tennessee Titans on
Oct. 22, 2017, and never played again,
announcing his retirement in March
2018. Class of 2023 enshrinee Joe Thomas answers a question at the Pro Football Hall of Fame during a March 6 visit to Canton.
His list of accomplishments includes JULIE VENNITTI BOTOS/REPOSITORY
eight All-Pro honors, including six first-
team selections, and what the Browns
believe is an unprecedented streak of him with his Browns left tackle Luncheon created similar memories.
10,363 consecutive snaps — every offen- predecessors, Hall of Famer Lou Groza Thomas noted LeRoy Butler, one of the
sive play of his career. and Dick Schafrath, both of whom are Green Bay Packers he idolized as a boy,
The Browns went 48-119 in Thomas’ deceased. approached him with a congratulatory
167 starts. They went 1-15 in 2016, his last It’s next to a separate photo of Die- greeting.
full season, and 0-16 a year later. He ex- ken, 74, and Thomas, 38. Driving to the Hall of Fame a few
perienced just one winning season — Other pictures of Thomas surfaced months ago provided another unforget-
10-6 his rookie year — and never tasted around the Hall of Fame earlier this year. table feeling for Thomas.
even a morsel of the playoffs. Thomas was voted into the Hall of “Seeing your face on a huge mural
Fame in January. He was notified later outside of the Hall of Fame in Canton,
Former Cleveland Browns left the same month when legendary Seattle that was another one of those moments
tackles Doug Dieken and Joe Seahawks left tackle Walter Jones where it was kind of like a, ‘Pinch me,
Thomas formed a close knocked on the door of his family’s whoa, this is really happening, this is
relationship home in Wisconsin to share the news. not some dream that you’re just going to
Former Cleveland Browns left tackle The public announcement occurred in wake up from,’ ” Thomas said. “And I
Yet Thomas remained motivated to and radio broadcaster Doug Dieken February. imagine there will be more moments
deliver on every single one of his plays. works from the field before a like that as we get closer to August, but
“As far as the Browns, the city didn’t December 2016 game against the Thomas is eager to be I’m definitely relishing every single one
have a lot to hang their hat on in regards Cincinnati Bengals. AP enshrined in front of many of those.”
to the players, and with Joe, you had the Browns fans in Canton Although Thomas will become the
best in the business,” Dieken said. “It 18th Hall of Famer in Browns history,
was kind of amazing to watch somebody you never had a doubt.” When Thomas visited the Hall of he’ll be the first from the expansion era.
play at that high level, yet not reap the Dieken never missed a game during Fame in early March, he described a se- “It feels awesome,” Thomas said. “It
rewards that they should have. his 14 NFL seasons, and mutual respect ries of surreal moments surrounding his feels like a great responsibility for one of
“It’s just impressive. A, it just tells is among the reasons he bonded with induction. the most proud franchises in NFL histo-
you how much pride he has in his game. fellow ironman Thomas. The visit from Jones qualified as a ry. … To carry that torch is something
And, B, he was earning his money. Some A trophy case in Dieken’s Northeast dream come true, and meeting other
of these guys, you wonder, but with Joe, Ohio home features a photograph of Hall of Famers at the Merlin Olsen See JOE THOMAS, Page 26S