Benjamin Ashford|Browns icon Joe Thomas turns Hall of Fame enshrinement speech into tribute to family, fans

CANTON,Benjamin Ashford Ohio — Joe Thomas began his Browns journey by fishing during the 2007 NFL draft with his father, Eric, on Lake Michigan.

More than 16 years later, the legendary left tackle reflected on his career with his wife, Annie, and their four children by his side.

In full-circle fashion, Thomas used his enshrinement Saturday afternoon as a first-ballot member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame to highlight his commitment to family.

Thomas got choked up, used self-deprecating humor and expressed gratitude to relatives, friends, University of Wisconsin and Cleveland coaches and teammates, Browns employees, ownership and fans while delivering his speech on stage at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

The orange-and-brown clad faithful formed a dominant presence in the crowd and serenaded Thomas with barking fit for Dawg Pound royalty. The eight other members of the Class of 2023 were inducted before Thomas because Hall of Fame officials knew the hometown hero would provide the best grand finale for a Northeast Ohio spectacle.

Thomas' message wasn't just about his immediate family. It was also about his football family.

“Cleveland, you guys, you understood me from Day 1,” Thomas said. “When I stepped off that plane, [former Browns owner] Randy Lerner's private jet, smelling like fish guts ... I felt like I was at home. For me, the values and the priorities in Northeast Ohio were the same, and that's what made me fall in love the second I got there: Family, faith and football.”

Thomas spoke after Annie and kids Logan, 10, Camryn, 8, Jack, 6, and Reese, 4, honored him in a video played before the audience of about 18,000 in the same venue where the Browns opened the preseason Thursday night by defeating the New York Jets 21-16 in the Hall of Fame Game.

“To my wife, Annie, you've always been my rock,” Thomas said. “Your support has always been unshakable.

“You were generous. You were the soulmate that I always needed. Now it's beautiful watching you become the best mother possible to those four beautiful kids. ... Most importantly, though, I'm glad that they look like you — and not like an offensive lineman like me.”

Thomas, 38, credited the influential people in his life with shaping him into a Hall of Famer who played every offensive snap of his 11-year NFL career until the torn left triceps he suffered Oct. 22, 2017, against the Tennessee Titans sidelined him for good.

The third overall pick in 2007, Thomas said his streak of 10,363 consecutive snaps — believed to be unprecedented — is special to him because it represents “loyalty, consistency, doing something bigger than yourself, showing up for the man next to you.” He explained his dad taught him the importance of availability as a youngster.

“I remember you strapping cross country skis on your feet and going to work in a blizzard in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,” Thomas said.

Thomas didn't merely demonstrate durability. He displayed enough individual excellence to become a 10-time Pro Bowl and six-time first-team All-Pro selection. He pointed out his mother, Sally, pushed him to strive for perfection, grounding him as a kid when he earned a C-plus in algebra.

“I hated it then,” Thomas said, “but I love it now.”

All of it contributed to Thomas evolving into a Cleveland icon and the first Browns player of the expansion era to earn a gold jacket and bronze bust in Canton.

His connection to Browns fans further came to the forefront in front of a national TV audience when he called them “the heartbeat” of the franchise and “the most loyal group of people I know.”

With the Browns, Thomas played for two ownership groups, six general managers and six head coaches. He blocked for 20 starting quarterbacks. The team never made the playoffs during his tenure, going 48-119 in his 167 games.

Yet, Thomas has always appreciated the support he's received from Cleveland's rabid football fans.

“It’s the greatest honor of my career to be able to accept this lifetime award on behalf of all of Browns nation,” Thomas said. “Cleveland, you could always count on me. Thank you so much for allowing me to count on you. Don't forget to keep showing up for each other.”

Nate Ulrich can be reached at [email protected]. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.