Earl Winty Thomas III (born May 7, 1989) is an American former
football free safety who played in the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL). He was drafted by the
Seattle Seahawks in the first round of the
2010 NFL Draft. During his time with the Seahawks, he was a core member of the
Legion of Boom defense and won
Super Bowl XLVIII
Super Bowl XLVIII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos and National Football Conference (NFC) champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for th ...
against the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
. He played
college football at
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
and received consensus
All-American honors. Thomas signed with the
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays it ...
as a free agent in 2019 and played one season with the team.
High school career
Thomas attended
West Orange-Stark High School in
Orange, Texas
Orange is a city and the county seat of Orange County, Texas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 19,324. It is the easternmost city in Texas, located on the Sabine River at the border with Louisiana, and is from Hous ...
, where he played for the West Orange-Stark Mustangs
high school football
High school football (french: football au lycée) is gridiron football played by high school teams in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both countries, but its popularity is declining, part ...
team. While there, he was an all-state selection and three-year starter at
defensive back,
running back
A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback to rush the ball, to line up as a receiver to catch the ball,
and block. Ther ...
and
wide receiver. He recorded 112 career tackles with 11 interceptions, two kickoff return
touchdown
A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Amer ...
s and two punt return touchdowns, while also having 1,850 rushing yards and 2,140 receiving yards in his career.
Also a standout athlete, Thomas was on the school's
track & field
Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping eve ...
team, where he competed as a sprinter and jumper, and was a member of the
4 × 200 meters relay team that reached the state finals, at 1:27.92. He finished second in the
long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a takeoff point. Along with the triple jump, the two events that measure jumping for distance as a ...
at the 2007 Region 3-3A Meet, with a personal-best mark of 7.14 meters.
Considered a four-star recruit by
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting in the United States. The network was started in 1998 and employs more than 300 personnel.
History
Rivals.com was founded in 1998 by Jim Heckma ...
, Thomas was ranked as the No. 12 athlete in 2007.
College career
Thomas attended the
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 1883 and is the oldest institution in the University of Texas System. With 40,916 undergraduate students, 11,07 ...
, where he played for coach
Mack Brown's
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate team representing the University of Texas at Austin (variously Texas or UT) in the sport of American football. The Longhorns compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision ...
team from 2007 to 2009. After
redshirting his first year at Texas, Thomas started all 13 games at strong safety for the Longhorns in 2008, and ranked second on the team with 63 combined tackles and 17 pass breakups, the most ever by a Longhorn freshman. He also had two interceptions, four forced fumbles, and a blocked kick. Thomas subsequently earned multiple All-Freshman honors, as he was named to FWAA's Freshman All-America team,
''
Sporting News′'' Freshman All-American team,
''College Football News′'' All-Freshman first-team,
and Rivals.com's Freshman All-America team.
As a
redshirt
Redshirt, Red Shirt, or Redshirts may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Red Shirts'' (film), a 1952 film about Anita Garibaldi by Franco Rossi
* Redshirt (stock character), originally derived from ''Star Trek'', a stock character who dies soon after ...
sophomore in 2009, Thomas intercepted eight passes, returning two of them for touchdowns. The Longhorns were undefeated in the regular season and Thomas played in the
2010 BCS National Championship Game
The 2010 Citi BCS National Championship Game was a college football bowl game to determine the national champion of the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, and was played between the Texas Longhorns and the Alabama Crimson Tide. It was ...
where they lost to
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County
, LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham
, area_total_km2 = 135,765 ...
. Thomas chose to forgo his final two seasons of eligibility at Texas to declare for the
2010 NFL Draft where he was the third defensive back taken after
Eric Berry
James Eric Berry (born December 29, 1988) is an American former football safety who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers, where he was a two-time unanimous All-American and rec ...
and
Joe Haden.
Professional career
On January 8, 2010, Thomas released a statement through the University of Texas which announced his decision to forgo his remaining eligibility and enter the 2010 NFL Draft. He attended the NFL Scouting Combine in
Indianapolis and completed the majority of drills, but chose to skip the short shuttle and three-cone drill. On March 31, 2010, he participated at
Texas' pro day and improved his 40-yard dash (4.37s), 20-yard dash (2.47s), and 10-yard dash (1.49s). Thomas sustained a hamstring injury during his workout and was unable to complete his entire performance.
He attended pre-draft visits and private workouts with multiple teams, including the
Pittsburgh Steelers,
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (A ...
, and
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team p ...
. At the conclusion of the pre-draft process, Thomas was projected to be a first round pick by NFL draft experts and scouts. He was ranked as the top safety in the draft by NFL analyst
Mike Mayock, was ranked the second best safety by NFL analyst
Mel Kiper Jr.
Mel Kiper Jr. (; born July 25, 1960) is an analyst covering American football for ESPN. He has appeared on ESPN's annual NFL draft coverage since 1984, providing in-depth information on the nation's potential draft picks.
Career
Kiper said th ...
and
ESPN Scouts Inc., and was ranked the second best cornerback prospect by DraftScout.com.
Seattle Seahawks
2010
The
Seattle Seahawks selected Thomas in the first round (14th overall) of the
2010 NFL Draft. Thomas was the second safety drafted in 2010, behind
Eric Berry
James Eric Berry (born December 29, 1988) is an American former football safety who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers, where he was a two-time unanimous All-American and rec ...
. At age 20, he was one of the youngest players eligible for the draft.
On July 31, 2010, the Seattle Seahawks signed Thomas to a five-year, $18.30 million contract that includes $11.75 million guaranteed and a
signing bonus of $500,000.
Head coach
Pete Carroll
Peter Clay Carroll (born September 15, 1951) is an American football coach who is the head coach and executive vice president for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He was previously the head football coach at USC from ...
named Thomas the starting free safety to begin the regular season, alongside strong safety
Lawyer Milloy
Lawyer Marzell Milloy (born November 14, 1973) is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL) for fifteen seasons. He played college football for the Washington Huskies, and earned Al ...
. He made his professional regular season debut and first career start in the
Seattle Seahawks' season-opener against the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
and recorded seven combined tackles in their 31–6 victory. On September 26, 2010, Thomas made six combined tackles, two pass deflections, and two interceptions during a 27–20 victory against the
San Diego Chargers in Week 3. Thomas made his first career interception off a pass by Chargers' quarterback
Philip Rivers
Philip Michael Rivers (born December 8, 1981) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons, primarily with the Chargers franchise. He played college football at NC State and was se ...
, that was originally intended for tight end
Antonio Gates, and returned it for a 34-yard gain in the fourth quarter. On November 14, 2010, he collected a season-high eight solo tackles in the Seahawks' 36–18 victory at the
Arizona Cardinals in Week 10. In Week 12, Thomas collected eight combined tackles and returned a blocked punt for the first touchdown of his career during a 42–24 loss to the
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
The ...
. Thomas recovered a blocked punt that
Kennard Cox blocked by
Dustin Colquitt
Dustin Farr Colquitt (born May 6, 1982) is an American football punter who is a free agent. He played college football at Tennessee and was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft. With the Chiefs, he won Sup ...
and returned it for a ten-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Thomas started all 16 games during his rookie season in
2010 and recorded 76 combined tackles (64 solo), seven pass deflections, five interceptions, and a forced fumble.
The Seattle Seahawks finished first in the
NFC West
The National Football Conference - Western Division or NFC West is one of the four divisions of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It currently has four members: the Arizona Cardinals, the Los Ang ...
with a 7-9 record and earned a playoff berth. On January 9, 2011, Thomas started in his first career playoff game and recorded eight solo tackles and a pass deflection during a 41–36 victory against the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
in the NFC
Wild Card Round. The following week, he made four solo tackles as the Seahawks lost 35–24 at the
Chicago Bears in the NFC
Divisional Round.
2011
Thomas entered training camp slated as the starting free safety. Head coach Pete Carroll named Thomas and
Kam Chancellor
Kameron Darnel Chancellor (born April 3, 1988), nicknamed "Bam Bam", is an American former football strong safety who played for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Virginia Tech prior t ...
the starting safeties to begin the regular season.
![Earl Thomas (defensive back)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/Earl_Thomas_%28defensive_back%29.JPG)
In Week 8, he collected a season-high ten combined tackles (four solo) during a 34–12 loss to the
Cincinnati Bengals. The following week, Thomas recorded a season-high eight solo tackles in the Seahawks' 23–13 loss at the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divi ...
in Week 9. On December 27, 2011, it was announced that Thomas was selected to play in the
2012 Pro Bowl, marking the first
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players.
The format has changed thro ...
selection of his career. Kam Chancellor and
Brandon Browner
Brandon Kemar Browner (born August 2, 1984) is a former American football cornerback and convicted felon. In 2005, Browner signed with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent out of Oregon State. Browner played four seasons with the Calga ...
were also selected to the 2012 Pro Bowl. He finished the season with 98 combined tackles (69 solo), seven pass deflections, two interceptions, and a forced fumble in 16 games and 16 starts. Thomas was named second-team All-Pro and was ranked 66th on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2012
The NFL Top 100 Players of 2012 was the second season of the series. It ended with reigning NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers being ranked #1, while Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning
Elisha Nelson Manning (born January 3, 1981) is a former American football ...
.
2012
Thomas and Kam Chancellor returned as the Seahawks' starting safety duo. On November 4, 2012, Thomas collected a season-high seven combined tackles and deflected a pass during a 30–20 victory against the
Minnesota Viking in Week 9. The following week, he tied his season-high of seven combined tackles as the Seahawks defeated the
New York Jets 28–7 in Week 10. On December 16, 2012, Thomas recorded five combined tackles, broke up a pass, and had the first
pick six of his career during a 50–17 win at the
Buffalo Bills in Week 15. Thomas intercepted a pass by quarterback
Ryan Fitzpatrick
Ryan Joseph Fitzpatrick (born November 24, 1982) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons. During his career, Fitzpatrick started at quarterback for nine different teams, the most ...
, that was originally intended for tight end
Scott Chandler, and returned it for a 57-yard touchdown in the third quarter. On December 26, 2012, it was announced that Thomas was selected to the
2013 Pro Bowl
The 2013 Pro Bowl was the National Football League (NFL)'s sixty-third annual all-star game which featured players from the 2012 season. It took place at 2:30 pm Hawaii–Aleutian Time ( UTC−10:00; 7:30 pm Eastern Time) on Sunday, Ja ...
and was the sole member of the Seahawks' defense to be selected in 2012. Thomas started in a 16 games in
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...
and recorded 66 combined tackles (42 solo), nine pass deflections, three interceptions, a forced fumble, and one touchdown.
On January 2, he was selected to the 2013 All-Pro Team.
The
Seattle Seahawks finished second in the NFC West with an 11–5 record and earned a Wild Card berth. On January 6, 2013, Thomas started in the NFC
Wild Card Round and made four combined tackles, a pass deflection, and intercepted a pass by quarterback
Robert Griffin III
Robert Lee Griffin III (born February 12, 1990), nicknamed RG3 and RGIII, is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. He played college football at Baylor, where he won the Heisman Trophy as a senior, and was selected second overa ...
during the Seahawks' 24–14 victory over the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
. The following week, he recorded four combined tackles, broke up a pass, and intercepted a pass by
Matt Ryan in a 30–28 loss at the
Atlanta Falcons in the NFC
Divisional Round. He was ranked 66th by his fellow players on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2013.
2013
The Seattle Seahawks' new defensive coordinator
Dan Quinn retained Thomas and Kam Chancellor as the starting safeties and
Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner as the starting cornerbacks after
Gus Bradley
Paul Casey "Gus" Bradley (born July 5, 1966) is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He came to prominence as the defensive coordinator for the Seattle S ...
accepted the head coaching position with the
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team pla ...
.
In Week 4, he recorded seven solo tackles, deflected a pass, made an interception, and forced a fumble during a 23–20 win at the
Houston Texans in Week 4. On October 28, 2013, Thomas collected a season-high ten solo tackles and made one pass deflection during a 14–9 victory at the
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis from 1995 to the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, where the team had played from 1946 to 1994.
The arr ...
in Week 9. The following week, he collected a season-high 12 combined tackles (eight solo) in the Seahawks' 27–24 win against the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...
in Week 10. On December 27, 2013, it was announced that Thomas was selected to the
2014 Pro Bowl
The 2014 Pro Bowl was the National Football League's all-star game for the 2013 season. It took place at 2:30 pm local time on January 26 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The game was televised nationally by NBC and was the final Pr ...
, but was later replaced by
Antrel Rolle
Antrel Rocelious Rolle (born December 16, 1982) is a former American football defensive back of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Miami, where he was recognized as a unanimous All-American, an ...
due to his participation in Super Bowl XLVIII. Thomas started in all 16 games and recorded a career-high 105 combined tackles. (78 solo), nine pass deflections, five interceptions, and two forced fumbles. He earned First Team All-Pro honors for the second consecutive season. He finished third in voting for AP Defensive Player of the Year.
The
Seattle Seahawks finished first in the NFC West with a 13–3 record and earned a first round bye. On January 11, 2014, Thomas recorded 11 combined tackles (seven solo) and broke up two passes as the Seahawks defeated the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
23–15 in the
Divisional Round. The following week, they defeated the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
23–17 in the
NFC Championship Game. On February 2, 2014, Thomas started in
Super Bowl XLVIII
Super Bowl XLVIII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos and National Football Conference (NFC) champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for th ...
and made seven combined tackles and a pass deflection during a 43–8 victory against the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
. He was ranked 17th by his fellow players on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2014.
2014
On April 28, 2014, the Seattle Seahawks signed Thomas to a four-year, $40 million contract extension with $27.72 million guaranteed and a
signing bonus of $9.50 million.
![Earl Thomas 2014](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/Earl_Thomas_2014.jpg)
On November 9, 2014, Thomas recorded six combined tackles, deflected a pass, and made his only interception of the season during a 38–17 victory against the
New York Giants in Week 10. Thomas intercepted a pass by quarterback
Eli Manning, that was intended for wide receiver
Odell Beckham Jr.
Odell Cornelious Beckham Jr. (born November 5, 1992), commonly known by his initials OBJ, is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Beckham played college football at LSU and was drafted by the ...
, and returned it for a 47-yard gain in the fourth quarter. In Week 17, he collected a season-high 12 combined tackles (11 solo) in the Seahawks' 20–6 win against the
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis from 1995 to the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, where the team had played from 1946 to 1994.
The arr ...
. On December 23, 2015, Thomas was announced as a selection to play in the
2014 Pro Bowl
The 2014 Pro Bowl was the National Football League's all-star game for the 2013 season. It took place at 2:30 pm local time on January 26 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The game was televised nationally by NBC and was the final Pr ...
. He finished the season with 97 combined tackles (71 solo), five pass deflections, three forced fumbles, and an interception in 16 games and 16 starts. He earned First Team All-Pro honors for the 2014 season.
The Seahawks had the top-ranked defense in the NFL in fewest points allowed for the third straight season and finished atop the NFC West with a 12–4 record. On January 10, 2015, Thomas collected 11 combined tackles (five solo), two passes defended, and a forced fumble as the Seahawks defeated the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. ...
31–17 in the
Divisional Round. The following week, he made five combined tackles, but suffered a dislocated shoulder in the second quarter of their 28–22 victory against the
Green Bay Packers in the
NFC Championship
The NFC Championship Game is the annual championship game of the National Football Conference (NFC) and one of the two semi-final National Football League playoffs, playoff games of the National Football League (NFL), the largest professional Amer ...
. On February 1, 2015, Thomas recorded nine combined tackles in the Seahawks' 28–24 loss to the
New England Patriots in
Super Bowl XLIX
Super Bowl XLIX was an American football game played to determine the champions of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2014 season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots defeated the National Football Conf ...
. He was ranked 21st by his fellow players on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2015.
2015
On February 24, 2015, Thomas underwent surgery to repair his shoulder injury after he separated it during the NFC Championship Game. He was expected to miss 6–8 months and subsequently missed training camp and the preseason. The Seattle Seahawks' promoted defensive backs coach
Kris Richard to defensive coordinator after Dan Quinn accepted the head coaching position with the
Atlanta Falcons. Richard retained Thomas and Kam Chancellor as the starting safeties to begin the regular season.
He started in the
Seattle Seahawks' season-opener at the
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis from 1995 to the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, where the team had played from 1946 to 1994.
The arr ...
and collected a season-high nine combined tackles in their 34–31 loss. On October 18, 2015, Thomas made four combined tackles, a season-high four pass deflections, and an interception during a 27–23 loss to the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. ...
. He intercepted a pass by quarterback
Cam Newton
Cameron Jerrell Newton (born May 11, 1989) is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. He has played for 11 seasons, primarily with the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "Super Cam", he is the NF ...
, that was originally intended for wide receiver
Jerricho Cotchery, in the first quarter. On December 22, 2015, it was announced that Thomas was voted to the
2016 Pro Bowl, marking his fifth consecutive selection. Thomas elected not to play in the 2016 Pro Bowl in an attempt to get his body healthy and was replaced by
Harrison Smith. He started in all 16 games in
2015 and recorded 64 combined tackles (45 solo), nine pass deflections, five interceptions, and one forced fumble. He was ranked 66th on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2016.
2016
On October 30, 2016, Thomas recorded two combined tackles, deflected a pass, and returned a fumble recovery for a touchdown during a 25–20 loss at the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
in Week 8. Thomas recovered a fumble and returned it for a 34-yard touchdown after
Cliff Avril
Clifford Samuel Avril (born April 8, 1986) is a former American football defensive end. He played college football at Purdue and was drafted in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. He has also played for the Seattle Seahaw ...
stripped the ball from Saints' running back
Mark Ingram II
Mark Valentino Ingram II (born December 21, 1989) is an American football running back for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Alabama, where he was the first Alabama player to win the Heis ...
during the first quarter. Afterwards, Thomas hugged a referee, the side judge Alex Kemp, and was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for doing it. In Week 10, he collected a season-high nine combined tackles in the Seahawks' 31–24 win at the
New England Patriots. On November 20, 2016, Thomas made four combined tackles and a pass deflection before exiting in the third quarter of the Seahawks' 26–15 win against the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
due to a hamstring injury. His injury sidelined him for the Seahawks' Week 12 loss at the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...
and became the first game he missed during his career. The injury ended his streak of 107 consecutive regular season games. On December 4, 2016, Thomas suffered a broken
tibia
The tibia (; ), also known as the shinbone or shankbone, is the larger, stronger, and anterior (frontal) of the two bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates (the other being the fibula, behind and to the outside of the tibia); it connects ...
after he collided with teammate
Kam Chancellor
Kameron Darnel Chancellor (born April 3, 1988), nicknamed "Bam Bam", is an American former football strong safety who played for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Virginia Tech prior t ...
while breaking up a pass in the second quarter of the Seahawks' 40–7 victory against the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. ...
in Week 13. He tweeted shortly after the injury that he was considering retirement. On December 6, 2016, the Seattle Seahawks officially placed Thomas on injured reserve. Before being placed on IR, Thomas was leading all safeties in Pro Bowl votes making it likely he would have gone to his sixth straight. He finished the
2016 season with 48 combined tackles (24 solo), a career-high ten pass deflections, two interceptions, a fumble recovery, and a touchdown in 11 games and 11 starts. Despite the injury, Thomas was still ranked 30th by his peers on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2017.
2017
Thomas started in the
Seattle Seahawks' season-opener at the
Green Bay Packers and collected a season-high 11 combined tackles (seven solo) and a pass deflection in their 17–9 loss. He also had an interception off
Aaron Rodgers that was negated by an offsides penalty on defensive end
Michael Bennett. In Week 5, Thomas piled up seven tackles, intercepted
Jared Goff
Jared Thomas Goff (born October 14, 1994) is an American football quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at California, where he set the Pac-12 Conference season records for passi ...
, and forced a fumble at the goal line on
Todd Gurley
Todd Jerome Gurley II (born August 3, 1994) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons, primarily with the Los Angeles Rams. He played college football at Georgia, where he re ...
in a 16–10 win over the
Los Angeles Rams, earning him NFC Defensive Player of the Week. In Week 8, against the
Houston Texans, Thomas recorded a 78-yard interception return for a touchdown off
Deshaun Watson
Derrick Deshaun Watson (born September 14, 1995) is an American football quarterback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Clemson, where he led the team to a national championship in 2 ...
, the second pick-six of his career. Thomas would also add five tackles in the 41–38 victory, although he suffered a hamstring injury late in the fourth quarter. On December 19, 2017, Thomas was named to his sixth Pro Bowl. Thomas was ranked #48 by his fellow players on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2018.
2018
At the start of the 2018 season, Thomas did not report to training camp expressing that he would hold out until the Seahawks either renegotiated his current contract or traded him to another team. After missing all of training camp and the preseason, Thomas reported to the Seahawks just days prior to Week 1 and was activated to the roster.
On September 9, 2018, during the season opener against the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
, Thomas recorded an interception from quarterback
Case Keenum just five minutes into the game. This marked his 9th consecutive season recording an interception. In Week 3, against the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divi ...
, Thomas recorded his second career game with two interceptions in the 24–13 victory.
During a Week 4 matchup against the
Arizona Cardinals, Thomas was carted off the field in the fourth quarter with a lower leg injury with an air cast attached to it, and gave "
the finger
In Western culture, "the finger", or the middle finger (as in giving someone the (middle) finger, the bird or flipping someone off) is an obscene hand gesture. The gesture communicates moderate to extreme contempt, and is roughly equivalent i ...
" to
Pete Carroll
Peter Clay Carroll (born September 15, 1951) is an American football coach who is the head coach and executive vice president for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He was previously the head football coach at USC from ...
. It proved to be the last time he would take the field in a Seahawks uniform; he had suffered a broken leg, ending his 2018 season. He was placed on injured reserve on October 2, 2018.
Baltimore Ravens
On March 13, 2019, Thomas signed a four-year, $55 million contract with the
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays it ...
with $32 million guaranteed. He had agreed in principle to sign a one-year, $12 million deal with the
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
The ...
a day earlier; the Chiefs were about to ferry him to Kansas City on a private jet when the Ravens outbid them at the last minute.
[
After years of playing in the Seahawks' relatively simple ]Cover 3
Zone coverage (also referred to as a zone defense) is a defense scheme in gridiron football used to protect against the pass.
Zone coverage schemes require the linebackers and defensive backs to work together to cover certain areas of the fie ...
scheme, Thomas initially found it hard to adjust to the Ravens' more complicated system.[ However, during the season opener against the ]Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team p ...
, Thomas intercepted quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick
Ryan Joseph Fitzpatrick (born November 24, 1982) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons. During his career, Fitzpatrick started at quarterback for nine different teams, the most ...
on the Ravens' first defensive series of the season, prompting one defensive coach to yell, "We got Earl Thomas!" It marked the 10th consecutive season in which Thomas recorded at least one interception. The Ravens went on to win 59–10.
During the Ravens' Week 4 game against the Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (A ...
, Thomas lost some goodwill with Ravens fans when he missed a chance to stop an 88-yard touchdown burst by Nick Chubb
Nicholas Jamaal Chubb (born December 27, 1995) is an American football running back for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia and was drafted by the Browns in the second round of the ...
. Thomas said he pulled up at midfield because he had pulled a hamstring on a similar play during his days in Seattle (in 2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a s ...
against the Houston Texans), and did not want to risk injury.[
On October 6, 2019, in a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Thomas made a helmet-to-helmet hit which knocked Steelers QB Mason Rudolph unconscious. Rudolph did not return for the rest of the game. On October 21, Thomas was fined $21,000 for the hit. In week 9 against the New England Patriots, Thomas recorded his second interception of the season, picking off ]Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots organization, with which ...
in the 37–20 win. In Week 10 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Thomas recovered a fumble forced by teammate Chuck Clark
Charles Edward Clark Jr. (born April 19, 1995) is an American football strong safety for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Virginia Tech. Clark was drafted by the Ravens in the sixth round ...
on running back Giovani Bernard in the 49–13 win. In Week 14 against the Buffalo Bills, Thomas recorded a team high 7 tackles and sacked Josh Allen Josh or Joshua Allen may refer to:
* Josh Allen (offensive lineman) (born 1991), former American football player
* Josh Allen (quarterback) (born 1996), American football quarterback in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills since 2018
* Josh Allen (defensi ...
during the 24–17 win, clinching a playoff berth. Thomas earned a Pro Bowl nomination for the 2019 season.
In the Divisional Round of the playoffs against the Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their hom ...
, Thomas recorded a team-high seven tackles and sacked quarterback Ryan Tannehill
Ryan Timothy Tannehill III (born July 27, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas A&M, where he was a wide receiver until his junior year, an ...
during the 28–12 loss. He was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame All-Decade Team for the 2010s. He was ranked 75th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020
The NFL Top 100 Players of 2020 is the tenth season in the NFL Top 100 series. It premiered on July 26, 2020 and the final episode aired on July 29, 2020. It started later than in previous years, and the show was shown in 4 consecutive days instea ...
.
On August 21, 2020, Thomas and fellow safety Chuck Clark
Charles Edward Clark Jr. (born April 19, 1995) is an American football strong safety for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Virginia Tech. Clark was drafted by the Ravens in the sixth round ...
got into an altercation during practice after Thomas missed a coverage that allowed Mark Andrews to score a long touchdown. Thomas then punched Clark and was sent home. After the Ravens advised Thomas not to come to practice on August 22, they released him the next day for conduct detrimental to the team–or, as the team put it, "personal conduct that has adversely affected the Baltimore Ravens". His release came after players told coach John Harbaugh
John William Harbaugh (born September 23, 1962) is an American football coach who is the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). Previously, he coached the defensive backs for the Philadelphia Eagles and served ...
and general manager Eric DeCosta
Eric DeCosta (born April 10, 1971) is an American football executive who is the executive vice president and general manager for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL), a position he officially assumed on January 11, 2019.
D ...
that they did not want Thomas back on the team.[ Harbaugh consulted the team's "Leadership Council" of veteran players, and only one of them wanted Thomas to return.][ No other team signed him during the season.
According to an article by '']The Athletic
''The Athletic'' is a subscription-based sports website that provides national and local coverage in 47 North American cities as well as the United Kingdom. ''The Athletic'' also covers national stories from top professional and college sports ...
,'' even though Thomas had made seven of the last nine Pro Bowls, he had developed a reputation for being "uncoachable." According to a number of his former Seahawks teammates and coaches, the Seahawks had been able to manage the situation until 2017, when Chancellor suffered a career-ending neck injury (he did not play at all in 2018 and retired the following spring) and Sherman had his season prematurely ended by a ruptured Achilles tendon. In what proved to be a warning sign, Thomas put out feelers to the Cowboys, which was dismissed at the time as "Earl being Earl." By 2018, he frequently refused to practice, ostensibly to protect his value in free agency.[
While in Baltimore, Thomas never really became a part of the Ravens' locker-room culture. He was often fined for skipping meetings or showing up late, and left the team on his own at least twice. During the 2020 preseason, Thomas became increasingly surly and withdrawn, frequently skipping meetings and walk-throughs. The altercation with Clark happened in part because Clark believed Thomas would not have blown the coverage had he taken part in walk-throughs. According to ''The Athletic,'' Thomas' reputation for being uncoachable and a poor teammate was the reason that no other team signed him after his release by the Ravens. Reportedly, the Houston Texans were thinking about signing him, but decided against it after several players let it be known that they did not want him on the team.][
]
NFL career statistics
Regular season
Postseason
Personal life
On May 6, 2020, it was reported by TMZ
TMZ is a tabloid news website owned by Fox Corporation. It made its debut on November 8, 2005, originally as a collaboration between AOL and Telepictures, a division of Warner Bros., until Time Warner divested AOL in 2009. On September 13, 202 ...
that on April 13, Thomas was allegedly held at gunpoint by his wife Nina after finding him and his brother, Seth Thomas, in bed with other women. Nina Thomas' arrest was reported the following day.
In November 2020, Nina Thomas filed for divorce. She was later granted a restraining order against her husband.
On May 6, 2022, an arrest warrant was issued against Thomas after he violated a court protective order by sending messages to a woman about her and her children. He was arrested in Orange, Texas
Orange is a city and the county seat of Orange County, Texas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 19,324. It is the easternmost city in Texas, located on the Sabine River at the border with Louisiana, and is from Hous ...
on May 13, 2022.
On August 11, 2022, Thomas' house located at FM 1130 and Bear Path Drive in Orange, Texas burned down.
See also
* Legion of Boom
* List of Texas Longhorns football All-Americans
* List of Seattle Seahawks first-round draft picks
The Seattle Seahawks joined the National Football League (NFL) in 1976 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They participated in their first draft, the 1976 NFL Draft, 1976 NFL draft and selected Steve Niehaus, a defensive tackle from Notre Dame Fighti ...
References
External links
*
*
Texas Longhorns bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, Earl
1989 births
Living people
People from Orange, Texas
African-American players of American football
Players of American football from Texas
American football safeties
Texas Longhorns football players
All-American college football players
Seattle Seahawks players
Baltimore Ravens players
Unconferenced Pro Bowl players
National Conference Pro Bowl players
21st-century African-American sportspeople
20th-century African-American people
American Conference Pro Bowl players
Ed Block Courage Award recipients