Former Wisconsin star offensive lineman makes NFL's Cleveland Browns Mount Rushmore

Former Wisconsin offensive tackle Joe Thomas was included in the NFL’s Mount Rushmore for all-time Cleveland Browns last week.

The 11-year Cleveland Brown and 2023 NFL Hall of Fame inductee earned a spot alongside Hall of Famers Otto Graham (QB), Jim Brown (RB) and Lou Groza (OT, C, DT, K). Thomas, one of the greatest offensive tackles of all time, is cemented among three of the most respected athletes in Cleveland sports history.

With the Badgers, Thomas was a first-team All-American team member in 2005 and 2006, recognized as the nation’s most outstanding interior lineman with the 2006 Outland Trophy and was a team captain and co-MVP as a senior in 2006.

He finished his collegiate tenure as the 2007 Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient and with back-to-back first-team All-Big Ten selections before declaring for the 2007 NFL draft.

Thomas played all 11 of his NFL seasons with the Cleveland Browns and was named to 10 Pro Bowls, six First-Team All-Pro honors and amassed an NFL record streak of 10,363 consecutive snaps.

The Brookfield, Wisconsin native retired in 2017, was named to UW’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019 and earned a spot in the Cleveland Browns’ Ring of Honor in 2023.