Legendary Cleveland Browns left tackle Joe Thomas has decided to call it a career. Here’s what folks had to say about the news on Twitter.
After 11 seasons, all with the Cleveland Browns, veteran left tackle Joe Thomas announced his retirement on Wednesday.
.@joethomas73 is calling it a career.
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) March 14, 2018
See you in Canton, Joe.
📰 » https://t.co/BoYpcxVcIg#ThankYou73 pic.twitter.com/gzEa8Z6tPK
The 10-time Pro Bowler and certain first-ballot Hall of Famer’s decision to hang up his cleats inevitably provoked quite a reaction; here are some of the Twitter highlights.
The first offensive lineman in NFL history has hung up his cleats.
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) March 14, 2018
See you in the Hall of Fame, Joe Thomas. pic.twitter.com/Gmxjy7SNJu
He’s not that old.
Joe Thomas blocked for 20 — twenty! — different QBs in his career:
— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) March 14, 2018
Derek Anderson
Charlie Frye
Brady Quinn
Ken Dorsey
Gradkowski
Colt McCoy
Delhomme
Senaca Wallace
Weeden
Thad Lewis
Jason Campbell
Brian Hoyer
Johnny Manziel
Connor Shaw
McCown
Austin Davis
RG3
Kessler
Kizer
Hogan
Well, actually:
It's actually 22. You forgot Charlie Whitehurst and Josh Johnson. #JoeThomas #Browns https://t.co/Nl2ksVBpEd
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) March 14, 2018
Thomas’ most recent head coach, Hue Jackson, weighed in on Thomas’ career:
#Browns head coach Hue Jackson on Joe Thomas’ retirement pic.twitter.com/XFzJGg4BkK
— Kyle Kelly (@ByKyleKelly) March 14, 2018
A reminder that Thomas has always been a delight, on and off the field:
I still remember Joe Thomas going fishing on Draft Day and having a camera on that little boat
— Eric Edholm (@Eric_Edholm) March 14, 2018
Baller move
The love has—rightly—poured in:
Won't feel the same walking into the #Browns locker room or on to the practice field without seeing No. 73 out there.
— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) March 14, 2018
Can't add much more to the Thomas' praise. But dude represented exactly what it meant to be a pro.
— Vincent Frank (@VincentFrankNFL) March 14, 2018
Went to battle every single game of his career for a Browns team that just sucked. Didn't complain a whole lot. Just went to work and dominated.
We should all aspire to be that.
There has NEVER been a player in @NFL history who made 10 Pro Bowls and endured more losing than Joe Thomas. His team gave him just one winning season. Even Barry Sanders had five winning years.
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) March 14, 2018
Congratulations on a amazing career! One of the absolute best teammates & leaders you can ask for the best left tackle to ever play the game thank you @joethomas73 pic.twitter.com/8jx4HlSFdA
— Jason Pinkston (@JasonPinkstonOL) March 14, 2018
Joe, thanks for all of the support and good luck to you in your future endeavors. Congrats to a Hall of Fame player and person! https://t.co/emOnmI8LW7
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) March 14, 2018
And the Hall of Fame is certainly next:
Next stop Canton?
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) March 14, 2018
👏👏 @joethomas73 pic.twitter.com/eeUgDgviFS
Joe Thomas was the 5th player in NFL history to make the Pro Bowl in each of his first 10 NFL seasons. The other 4 are all in the Hall of Fame.@joethomas73 @Browns @NFLhistory @ProFootballHOF pic.twitter.com/qImeOzkIkB
— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) March 14, 2018
Not many offensive lineman retire and get pencilled into Canton 5 years from reitirment. @joethomas73 will walk into Canton on the first ballot. Not sure he’s been fully appreciated because he didn’t win in Cleveland
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) March 14, 2018
Helleva career @joethomas73!!! Next stop Canton for you brother!! 🧥 https://t.co/QtoT0DKUwP
— LeBron James (@KingJames) March 14, 2018
Next: Top 10 NFL players who retired too soon
But the real sign that Thomas was a true Browns legend? Even the team’s AFC North rivals had to tip their caps on social media:
Much respect. We had many great battles over the years.
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) March 14, 2018
We wish you the best in retirement, @joethomas73. https://t.co/AGVaZE3niE
#Respect pic.twitter.com/8FGYF2GCOc
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) March 14, 2018
#Respect pic.twitter.com/h464vWRVkc
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) March 14, 2018