Cleveland Browns OL Joe Thomas elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame

CANTON, Ohio (WOIO) - The career that started on a fishing boat in 2007 will be memorialized in Canton forever following the announcement that Cleveland Browns OL Joe Thomas has been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023.

This is Thomas’ first year of eligibility for the Pro Football Hall of Fame after retiring from the NFL in 2018.

The 11-year vet, who spent his entire career in Northeast Ohio, was known as the NFL’s “Ironman” for his streak of 10,363 snaps played.

Thomas’ illustrious career included 10 Pro Bowl designations and 6 first-team All-Pro selections.

With his Feb. 9 election, Thomas will be the seventh offensive tackle in NFL history to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer and the 18th Cleveland Browns player to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“We are so proud Joe Thomas will be recognized, appropriately, as a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Joe epitomized the standard of excellence in everything he did for the Cleveland Browns organization and for our community. He was the essence of all you want in a player, as a teammate and representing the Browns organization. His extraordinary accomplishments and endurance playing 10-plus years without missing a single snap is unparalleled. How he went about his work each day was equally inspiring, the model of consistency, resiliency and class. Beyond being one of the best in NFL history, he was just as exceptional off the field. Joe and his wife, Annie have made an impact on so many people in Cleveland and have done so in a humble, unassuming way. He is just a tremendous human being. We are so happy that Joe will take his rightful place among our game’s greatest in Canton.”

Thomas will be enshrined in Canton in August.

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