Halloween: 5 of the scariest Cleveland Browns since 1999
By Chad Porto
Joe Thomas
When it comes to Joe Thomas, there was arguably no better offensive lineman in the game of football for a decade. The left tackle anchored the Cleveland Browns’ offensive line through thick and thin from 2007 to his retirement in 2017. Across 11 seasons, the Browns’ greatest linemen of all time went to 10 Pro Bowls and made eight All-Pro teams, but an injury in his 11th season made him re-evaluate his career and ultimately put his health first and said goodbye to the game.
Before he said goodbye, Thomas had the reputation of being the hardest lineman in the league to beat, period. Yes, the Browns were a dumpster fire the entire time he was on the team, save for his rookie season, but he stayed and dominated. He was never accused of taking plays off, nor was he someone who ever was very vocal about his unhappiness.
It was almost like he relished in the chaos. You’d be hard-pressed to find a man who is more comfortable in the chaos than Thomas and that should give anyone thinking about challenging pause for concern. He willingly sat through year after year with the Browns, and actually enjoyed himself. If you can go through all that yearly trauma and keep coming back for more, it’s fair to say you’re terrifying.