Joe Thomas enters Browns Ring of Honor, gets Pro Football Hall of Fame Ring of Excellence
CLEVELAND — Joe Thomas held his four children in his arms and on his back in the bowels of Cleveland Browns Stadium as the family posed for photographs.
“I have a pinched nerve in my back, so I think it just got worse, but it was worth it,” Thomas told the Beacon Journal with a laugh.
Sunday was special for Thomas, his wife, Annie, and their kids because the legendary Browns left tackle received new bling and his name in a ring.
A newly minted member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Thomas got his Ring of Excellence from the Hall of Fame and had his name enshrined in the Ring of Honor at the stadium on Cleveland's lakefront during a halftime ceremony.
Thomas said the occasion ranked "up there" among the surreal moments he has experienced this year.
"It's hard to rank stuff that you never dreamed was possible in a million years," Thomas said. "It was the wildest dream imaginable as a first-round rookie out of Wisconsin to think that I'd be in the Hall of Fame, and to be able to celebrate it with my kids and to have the reception in the city I played my entire career, it's a dream come true.”
Thomas attended the Browns' 28-3 loss to the visiting Baltimore Ravens along with Rod Walker, the son-in-law of late Browns legend Mac Speedie, a member of the Hall of Fame's Class of 2020.
Roughly 20 minutes before kickoff, Walker accepted Speedie's Ring of Excellence on behalf of Speedie’s daughter Rebecca Speedie Walker. Speedie's name was already in Cleveland's Ring of Honor.
At halftime, Thomas, 38, took the field with his family and delivered a speech to the crowd after a tribute video had played.
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On Aug. 5, Thomas was enshrined into the Hall of Fame in Canton.
“Canton felt like a home game, but this is home, right? So being able to come out here on a game day and see the fans in the stadium where I did my work for 11 years, there's no words to describe my pride and how humbled I am to be able to experience this,” Thomas said.
Thomas' name was unveiled in the Ring of Honor in the same spot where 10,363 had been placed in 2018, the same year Thomas retired.
“I love the number," Thomas said. "It meant a lot to me, but seeing my name up there is really special. And like I said in my speech, every time I come in here, it's going to be a reminder to me about trying to live up to the high expectations I had for myself on the field and the values that were taught to me by my teammates and coaches.”
The number 10,363 represents the iconic consecutive snap streak Thomas established with the Browns. The 10,363 sign is now displayed over a mural of Thomas in Cleveland Browns Stadium outside the pro shop, a team spokesman said.
Told about the location of the 10,363 sign, Thomas said, “That's awesome. I love to hear that.”
Thomas wore his gold jacket to the stadium and was happy to add the ring to his collection of Hall of Fame keepsakes.
"That'll probably get more usage actually than the jacket because you can't wear the jacket to dinner or date night," Thomas quipped. "People would be, 'What's wrong with that guy?'”
As Thomas answered a question about the ring, his son Jack tried it on and posed for another photo.
"When [the kids] get excited about stuff like that," Thomas said, "you know it has to be pretty cool.”
More on 10,363 snaps for Joe Thomas: Offensive lineman's journey to the Pro Football Hall of Fame included an NFL recount of his snap streak with the Browns
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Hall of Famer Joe Thomas enshrined in Browns' Ring of Honor
