The 2024-25 Central Ohio High School Sports Awards program is happy to announce Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Thomas as the guest speaker for its live event Wednesday, June 18, at Upper Arlington High School.
A first-ballot hall of fame selection, Thomas cemented himself as one of the most accomplished and most decorated athletes to ever step foot on an NFL field. Selected third overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 2007 NFL Draft, Thomas became one of just five players to be selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his first 10 seasons. His 10,363 consecutive snaps played is the longest streak in history.
Thomas was also the only player in Browns history to earn the team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Award multiple times (2010, 2012, 2016). Following an 11-year career, the NFL ironman decided to retire from the league.
Before joining the Browns, Thomas was an All-American at Wisconsin, earning honors as the nation’s best interior lineman.
An avid outdoorsman, Thomas formerly co-hosted ‘Outdoors Ohio’ on SportsTime Ohio and enjoys hunting, fishing and farming. He could be seen on the NFL Network’s pregame and postgame shows for every Thursday Night Football game in 2019, as well as NFL Network’s coverage of such events as the Super Bowl, NFL Scouting Combine and NFL draft.
In 2024, Thomas coached with the Munich Ravens in the European League of Football. Thomas is a partner in several Mission BBQ franchises.
A native of Brookfield, Wisconsin, Thomas and his wife, Annie, reside in Middleton, Wisconsin, with their four children.
The 2024-25 Central Ohio High School Sports Awards are part of the USA Today High School Sports Awards program. Tickets are on sale now and can be obtained here.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY High School Sports Wire: Hall of Famer Joe Thomas is guest speaker for Central Ohio High School Sports Awards
Reporting by Todd M. Adams, USA TODAY High School Sports / USA TODAY High School Sports Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
