Newly Crowned Hall of Famer Stands Alone, Holding a Unique Feat in NFL History

The 2023 edition of the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony recently concluded on Saturday. And this year welcomed nine new members into the Tom Benson Hall Of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. And the four-hour-long ceremony saw fans witness some of the greatest footballers in the NFL getting their due recognition for their record-breaking careers.

Amongst them was a player who stood alone at the podium during the ceremony. And this player had a unique achievement to his name, which has never been done before in the history of the league. 

Joe Thomas gets his limelight

During his 11-year stint with the Cleveland Browns, Joe Thomas was one of their most reliable offensive tackles. He had 10,363 offensive snaps during his career and started 167 games for the Browns on the field. Joe Thomas also became the first player from the Browns who played in the 21st century to be inducted into the Hall Of Fame. But this was not the only achievement of his.

During his 20-minute-long speech after unveiling his statue, the 28-year-old also talked about the number of times the QBs were changed during his tenure. He said, “To my quarterbacks, all 20 of them. Yes, I blocked for more different starting QBs than any player in NFL history. What an honor.” 

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And the ceremony also saw him reunite with many of his former teammates with whom he went into battle in the gridiron.

A small Cleveland Browns Reunion

The audience gathered in Canton saw many Browns fans cheering on Joe Thomas for the recognition he deserved as a football player. He was presented into the Hall Of Fame by his wife and four children, showing fans that he always considers his family his top priority. The ceremony also served as a reunion for the former OT with many of his former teammates. Thomas said during his speech, “Thank you for always showing up for me. Thank you for giving me the ability to always count on you guys.” He also went on to jokingly apologize to all the backup OTs during his tenure for never being provided “the opportunity to go on the field.” Prior to this, Joe Thomas and his wife were on top of an orange convertible, waving to fans during Canton Repository Grand Parade. 

While the Cleveland Browns will be excited for their legend’s induction as a Hall of Famer, they will now be looking forward to having many more star players carry on the legacy in the coming seasons ahead. 

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