Joe Thomas Sr. becomes oldest college football player at 55 (Video)
By Ian O'Brien
A new college football record has been established by Joe Thomas Sr., the father of a current NFL player.
Joe Thomas Sr. has broken a record that will be nearly impossible for anyone to top. At 55 years old, he has set the record for oldest player to take the field. Sports Illustrated reports he has practiced with South Carolina State for the last four years. The 55-year-old running back took the field for his team and carried the ball three yards against Savannah State.
He never received the opportunity to play college football after graduating high school. However, he was a star defensive lineman during his high school days. He also saw plenty of playing time at running back. His three-yard gain wasn’t flashy but it’s one of the coolest things you’ll ever see in sports.
Thomas’ son, Joe Thomas Jr., currently plays for the Green Bay Packers as an inside linebacker. After being signed as an undrafted free agent in 2014, Thomas Jr. never made it past the practice squad. However, the Packers brought him back the following year before he made the active roster.
Thomas Sr. has stayed close to his son since he enrolled at South Carolina State. He has stuck with the South Carolina State football team for a long time and hoped to play for them one day. Although he did not get to play college football after high school like his son, Thomas Sr. finally saw his dream come true. The Packers linebacker’s father endured a relatively challenging childhood, as he was partially deaf until the age of 17. A doctor finally helped Thomas Sr. clear his ears at that age.
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There have been plenty of inspiring college football stories, such as Notre Dame’s Rudy Ruettiger and Arkansas’ Brandon Burlsworth. Thomas Sr. will certainly join this exclusive club of all-time inspiring college football figures after setting an unbreakable record, though.