J. T. Thomas (linebacker)
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born: | August 15, 1988 Fort Lauderdale, Florida | ||||||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 236 lb (107 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school: | Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach, Florida) | ||||||||||||||
| College: | West Virginia | ||||||||||||||
| Position: | Outside linebacker | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft: | 2011 / round: 6 / pick: 195 | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics as of 2017 | |||||||||||||||
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J.T. Thomas III (born August 15, 1988) is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft.[1] He played college football at West Virginia.
Professional career
Chicago Bears
On July 27, 2011, the Bears signed Thomas to a 4-year contract. Thomas was eventually placed on injured reserve due to a hip problem. In the 2012 season opener against the Indianapolis Colts, Thomas forced LaVon Brazill to fumble, and Kelvin Hayden recovered the loose ball.[2]
On August 31, 2013, Thomas was among the final cuts by the Bears.[3]
Jacksonville Jaguars
Thomas was claimed off waivers by the Jacksonville Jaguars on September 1, 2013.[4]
New York Giants
On March 10, 2015, Thomas signed a three-year, $12 million contract with the New York Giants.[5][6] On December 31, 2015, Thomas was placed on injured reserve.[7]
On September 12, 2016, Thomas was placed on injured reserve after he suffered torn ligaments in his left knee in Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys.[8]
On September 28, 2017, Thomas was once again placed on injured reserve after suffering a groin injury in Week 2.[9] He was released with an injury settlement on November 28, 2017.
Personal life
Thomas has a brother named Jared who has autism. Thomas is a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity and was initiated through the Nu Zeta chapter at WVU. Thomas attended Blanche Ely High School, where he was teammates with Patrick Peterson.[10]
He gained some national media attention for taking a disabled eighth grade girl in Morgantown, West Virginia to her 8th grade dance on Friday, May 20, 2011.[11][12] He received more national attention after he gave a 14-year-old boy with epilepsy tickets to Super Bowl XLVI, with Thomas also attending the game.[13]
References
- ^ "2011 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
- ^ Mayer, Larry. "Jennings plays takeaway in Bears victory". Chicagobears.com. Retrieved September 10, 2012.
- ^ Biggs, Brad (August 31, 2013). "Bears waive LB Thomas to reach roster limit". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
- ^ Stites, Adam (September 1, 2013). "Jaguars claim LB J.T. Thomas, according to report". SB Nation. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
- ^ Schefter, Adam. "Former Jaguars LB JT Thomas reached agreement with Giants". Twitter. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
- ^ Eisen, Michael (March 11, 2015). "Giants sign RB Shane Vereen; announce Free Agent signings". Giants.com. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
- ^ "Giants sign 2 players after LB J.T. Thomas and long snapper Danny Aiken head to injured reserve". NJ.com. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
- ^ "Giants place LB J.T. Thomas on IR".
- ^ Eisen, Michael (September 28, 2017). "Giants make roster moves, place J.T. Thomas on IR". Giants.com.
- ^ "Thomas arrested in West Virginia". Chicagobears.com. February 13, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2012.
- ^ "Bears draft pick makes 8th-grader's day". Articles.chicagotribune.com. May 21, 2011. Retrieved August 4, 2012.
- ^ Wright, Michael C. "Thomas makes fan's dream come true". Espn.go.com. Retrieved August 4, 2012.
- ^ Jemele Hill (February 7, 2012). "Chicago Bears linebacker J.T. Thomas gives the life-changing gift of a Super Bowl - ESPN". Espn.go.com. Retrieved August 4, 2012.
External links
