Cleveland Browns legend Joe Thomas is regarded as one of the best offensive linemen in NFL history. From the moment he stepped foot in Cleveland to his last snap, he was the greatest left tackle in NFL history.
Unfortunately for him, he was on one of the worst teams in the league during one of the worst eras in football.
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Thomas joined the Wisconsin Badgers podcast Badger Connect on Friday and talked about his time in Cleveland. However, a video was released of Thomas recounting the moment his Pro Bowl teammates called him and tried to convince him to force his way to Denver.
As Thomas’ version of the story goes, he was lying in bed with his wife watching Sunday Night Football when he got a phone call. The number is not public and Thomas does not usually answer the call.
This time, he went against his usual instincts. He picked up the phone, and on the other end of the line was Sheriff Peyton Manning.
Manning wasted no time. He basically said a deal had been made to send Thomas to Denver, which was on the cusp of Super Bowl season. Cleveland wouldn’t pull the trigger, so Manning begged Thomas to request a trade. The story goes that he told Thomas to go to the general manager’s office and go to the bathroom on his desk, and then they were sure to trade him.
While Thomas tells the story in a tongue-in-cheek way, it really emphasizes his allegiance to the horror franchise. Denver won the Super Bowl that season, but Thomas missed out. For whatever crazy reason, he was happy in Cleveland and didn’t want to leave.
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The only culprit in this situation is the Cleveland Browns, who have never had Thomas on a winning team. They never built a winning team around Thomas, which is not only the biggest negative for the Cleveland Browns, but the biggest negative in NFL history.
Joe Thomas deserves better than what he got in Cleveland. But it doesn’t matter. He loved it here and would rather be remembered for his loyalty than for being on a winning team.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns legend Joe Thomas talks about key moments in his HOF career