J. T. Thomas (defensive back)

J.T. Thomas

No. 24

Position:

Defensive back

Personal information

Date of birth:

April 22, 1951

Place of birth:

Macon, Georgia

Career information

College:

Florida State

NFL draft:

1973 / Round: 1 / Pick: 24

Career history

Pittsburgh Steelers (1973–1981)
Denver Broncos (1982)

Career highlights and awards

Pro Bowl selection (1976)
4× Super Bowl Champion (IX, X, XIII, XIV)
4× AFC Champion (1974, 1975, 1978, 1979)

Career NFL statistics

Interceptions:	20
INT yards:	147
Touchdowns:	2
Player stats at NFL.com

James Thomas Jr. (born April 22, 1951) is a former American football defensive back in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers 24th overall in the 1973 NFL draft. He played college football at Florida State. Thomas played for the Steelers between 1973 and 1981, then for the Denver Broncos in 1982.

Biography

Thomas attended Lanier High School in Macon. After playing at Florida State, Thomas was the Steelers' first-round selection (24th overall) in the 1973 NFL draft. That year, Thomas played in all 14 regular-season games and in the Steelers' only playoff game. He recorded one interception that season.^[1]

In 1974 and 1975, the Steelers won back-to-back Super Bowls.^[2] In 1974, Thomas picked up a career-best five interceptions and he scored a touchdown on a fumble recovery.^[1] Thomas was named to the Pro Bowl after a 1976 season in which he collected two interceptions and a fumble recovery.^[1] In 1978, he sat out the season due to a blood disorder known as Boeck's sarcoid.^[3]

During his time in Pittsburgh, Thomas played alongside cornerback Mel Blount. NFL.com named Thomas and Blount the sixth-best cornerback combination of all time.^[4]

During the 1982 preseason, Thomas was traded to the Denver Broncos for an initially undisclosed draft slot.^[5]

Thomas has lived in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, since the 1970s. Partnering with former Steeler Larry Brown in the late 1980s, Thomas opened an Applebee's restaurant in the Monroeville area. In 2009, he opened a Southern restaurant known as Red, Hot & Blue in Homestead, Pennsylvania.^[6]

References

1 2 3 "J.T. Thomas NFL Football Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
↑ "Pittsburgh Steelers Team Encyclopedia". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
↑ Wexell, Jim (December 13, 2013). Tales From Behind The Steel Curtain: The Best Stories of the '79 Steelers. Skyhorse Publishing Company, Incorporated. p. 65. ISBN 978-1-61321-493-0. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
↑ "Top ten cornerback tandems". NFL.com. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
↑ "Steelers trade J.T. Thomas". Gettysburg Times. August 19, 1982. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
↑ Lachimia, Jim (September 23, 2010). "J.T. Thomas". Pittsburgh Magazine. Retrieved April 26, 2015.

External links

Florida State Seminoles bio
J.T. Thomas not down & out, Rich Emert, The Beaver County Times, September 10, 1978

1973 NFL draft first-round selections

John Matuszak Bert Jones Jerry Sisemore John Hannah Dave Butz Charle Young Paul Seymour Wally Chambers Otis Armstrong Joe Ehrmann Sam Cunningham Chuck Foreman Burgess Owens George Amundson Isaac Curtis Steve Holden Ernie Price Mike Holmes Darryl Stingley Billy Joe Dupree Barry Smith Pete Adams Ray Guy J. T. Thomas Johnny Rodgers Joe DeLamielleure

Pittsburgh Steelers 1973 NFL draft selections

J.T. Thomas Ken Phares Roger Bernhardt Gail Clark Dave Reavis Larry Clark Ron Bell Glenn Scolnik Nate Dorsey Loren Toews Bill Janssen Bracey Bonham Don Wunderly Bob White Willie Lee Rick Fergerson Roger Cowan Charles Cross Glen Nardi Mike Shannon

Pittsburgh Steelers first-round draft picks

Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl IX Champions

5 Terry Hanratty 10 Roy Gerela 12 Terry Bradshaw 17 Joe Gilliam 20 Rocky Bleier 22 Richard Conn 23 Mike Wagner 24 J. T. Thomas 25 Ron Shanklin 26 Preston Pearson 27 Glen Edwards 31 Donnie Shell 32 Franco Harris (MVP) 33 John Fuqua 34 Andy Russell 35 Steve Davis 38 Ed Bradley 39 Bobby Walden 43 Frank Lewis 45 Jim Allen 46 Reggie Harrison 47 Mel Blount 50 Jim Clack 51 Loren Toews 52 Mike Webster 54 Marv Kellum 55 Jon Kolb 56 Ray Mansfield 57 Sam Davis 58 Jack Lambert 59 Jack Ham 62 Jim Wolf 63 Ernie Holmes 64 Steve Furness 68 L. C. Greenwood 71 Gordon Gravelle 72 Gerry Mullins 73 Rick Druschel 74 Dave Reavis 75 Joe Greene 77 Charlie Davis 78 Dwight White 82 John Stallworth 84 Randy Grossman 86 Reggie Garrett 87 Larry Brown 88 Lynn Swann 89 John McMakin

Head Coach: Chuck Noll

Coaches: Bud Carson Dick Hoak George Perles Dan Radakovich Louis Riecke Lionel Taylor Paul Uram Woody Widenhofer

Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl X Champions

5 Terry Hanratty 10 Roy Gerela 12 Terry Bradshaw 17 Joe Gilliam 20 Rocky Bleier 23 Mike Wagner 24 J. T. Thomas 27 Glen Edwards 29 Brent Sexton 31 Donnie Shell 32 Franco Harris 33 John Fuqua 34 Andy Russell 36 Dave Brown 38 Ed Bradley 39 Bobby Walden 43 Frank Lewis 44 Mike Collier 45 Jim Allen 46 Reggie Harrison 47 Mel Blount 50 Jim Clack 51 Loren Toews 52 Mike Webster 54 Marv Kellum 55 Jon Kolb 56 Ray Mansfield 57 Sam Davis 58 Jack Lambert 59 Jack Ham 63 Ernie Holmes 64 Steve Furness 68 L. C. Greenwood 71 Gordon Gravelle 72 Gerry Mullins 74 Dave Reavis 75 Joe Greene 76 John Banaszak 78 Dwight White 82 John Stallworth 84 Randy Grossman 86 Reggie Garrett 87 Larry Brown 88 Lynn Swann (MVP)

Head Coach: Chuck Noll

Coaches: Bud Carson Dick Hoak George Perles Dan Radakovich Louis Riecke Lionel Taylor Paul Uram Woody Widenhofer

Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl XIII Champions

5 Craig Colquitt 10 Roy Gerela 12 Terry Bradshaw (MVP) 15 Mike Kruczek 18 Cliff Stoudt 20 Rocky Bleier 21 Tony Dungy 23 Mike Wagner 24 J. T. Thomas 25 Ray Oldham 29 Ron Johnson 30 Larry Anderson 31 Donnie Shell 32 Franco Harris 35 Jack Deloplaine 38 Sidney Thornton 39 Rick Moser 40 Randy Reutershan 47 Mel Blount 51 Loren Toews 52 Mike Webster 53 Dennis Winston 55 Jon Kolb 56 Robin Cole 57 Sam Davis 58 Jack Lambert 59 Jack Ham 62 Willie Fry 64 Steve Furness 65 Tom Beasley 66 Ted Petersen 67 Gary Dunn 68 L. C. Greenwood 69 Fred Anderson 72 Gerry Mullins 74 Ray Pinney 75 Joe Greene 76 John Banaszak 77 Steve Courson 78 Dwight White 79 Larry Brown 82 John Stallworth 83 Theo Bell 84 Randy Grossman 86 Jim Smith 87 Jim Mandich 88 Lynn Swann 89 Bennie Cunningham

Head Coach: Chuck Noll

Coaches: Dick Hoak Tom Moore George Perles Dan Radakovich Louis Riecke Lionel Taylor Paul Uram Dick Walker Woody Widenhofer

Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl XIV Champions

5 Craig Colquitt 9 Matt Bahr 12 Terry Bradshaw (MVP) 15 Mike Kruczek 20 Rocky Bleier 23 Mike Wagner 24 J. T. Thomas 27 Greg Hawthorne 29 Ron Johnson 30 Larry Anderson 31 Donnie Shell 32 Franco Harris 33 Anthony Anderson 35 Jack Deloplaine 38 Sidney Thornton 39 Rick Moser 47 Mel Blount 49 Dwayne Woodruff 50 Tom Graves 51 Loren Toews 52 Mike Webster 53 Dennis Winston 54 Zack Valentine 55 Jon Kolb 56 Robin Cole 57 Sam Davis 58 Jack Lambert 59 Jack Ham 62 Willie Fry 63 Thom Dornbrook 64 Steve Furness 65 Tom Beasley 66 Ted Petersen 67 Gary Dunn 68 L. C. Greenwood 72 Gerry Mullins 75 Joe Greene 76 John Banaszak 77 Steve Courson 78 Dwight White 79 Larry Brown 82 John Stallworth 83 Theo Bell 84 Randy Grossman 85 Calvin Sweeney 86 Jim Smith 88 Lynn Swann 89 Bennie Cunningham

Head Coach: Chuck Noll

Coaches: Rollie Dotsch Dick Hoak Tom Moore George Perles Louis Riecke Paul Uram Dick Walker Woody Widenhofer

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