CANTON, Ohio — When I heard that my friend Joseph Thomas was being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I was overcome with emotion for multiple reasons.
Thomas' induction marks a tremendous moment for all fans, but especially the younger contingent that has only followed the team since their return in 1999. It's not only a testament to Joe's endurance and loyalty through all of that time, adversity and bad football, it's a testament to the fan's dedication as well.
Selfishly, this could very well be the only play for the new-era Cleveland Browns that I ever get to see inducted into the Hall. I'm basing this calculation on a combination of factors, but primarily the well-established incompetence of the organization and my age, diet and lifestyle choices.
SUBSCRIBE: Get the day's top local and national headlines sent to your e-mail inbox each weekday morning with our free 3News to GO! newsletter
Realistically, what other Browns player could you make an argument for regarding worthiness of induction into football's most elite club?
Brian Hoyer? Braylon Edwards? Steve Heiden?
They'll never induct Josh Cribbs due to position prejudice. Tragically, the same goes for the Browns under-celebrated long-snapper Charlie Hughlett.
Maybe there's someone else on the current team who will be inducted one day. Among them, it's safe to say that Myles Garrett and Nick Chubb have the best shot at eventual inclusion, but even in that event it wouldn't happen for many years. And given what an integral part the fast food franchise Arby"s plays in my weekly diet, I'll most likely have long since left this earthly planet by then.
More than anything, I'm happy about the Joe Thomas induction because of the deep, binding friendship that the two of us have shared over time. I had the opportunity to do an eight minute Zoom interview with Joe back in 2021, and we became instant friends in my mind. Since then, we haven't had the opportunity to stay in touch as much of either of us would (or at all for the matter), but with both of us being so busy with all the important stuff we're both doing, this is understandable.
Still, though we haven't seen each other in far too long, I wanted to make sure that everything would be perfect for my good buddy on his special weekend, so I popped down to Canton to make sure that everyone is ready for him.
