Former Badger Joe Thomas to be inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame 

Former Wisconsin Badger football great Joe Thomas will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend.

Thomas had an impressive NFL career despite many losing seasons in Cleveland. He played for six coaches and blocked for 20 different starting quarterbacks. For 11 years, Thomas was a pillar of excellence for a franchise that has spent most of the past two-plus decades in disarray. An iron man, he played 10,363 consecutive snaps, a streak believed to be a league record, according to an article by the Associated Press, before being forced off the field with a torn triceps midway through Cleveland’s 0-16 season in 2017.

With the Browns, Thomas played on just one winning team and never made the playoffs. He was a 10-time Pro Bowler, six-time All-Pro, and one of the best left tackles in league history. Despite numerous knee surgeries, back spasms, and other medical needs, Thomas never missed a single play in 167 consecutive games.

Elected for enshrinement in his first year of eligibility, Thomas will be introduced by his wife, Annie, and their four children, before giving the closing speech on Saturday in Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.