After years of being overlooked, the NFL is finally giving offensive linemen the praise and recognition they deserve.
Starting this season, the league will have a ‘Protector of the Year’ award, which will be decided by a large panel that includes, among others, former standout NFL offensive linemen.
Notably, that’s why Max Loeb believes it’s only right to name this award after the one and only Joe Thomas.
In the latest edition of “The BIG Factor,” the renowned analyst made his case for why this should be the Joe Thomas Award:
“Protector of the Year should be named after Joe Thomas. I’m not even thinking twice about it. Something has to be behind the Protector of the Year, and I think we can all agree [that] the most fitting thing for an offensive lineman of the year is not a commercial company brand—it’s honoring it after somebody who’s been in the trenches already. There’s so many [offensive linemen] you can name it after, but the model of consistency that Joe Thomas put out there is the gold standard,” Loeb said.
The NFL's Protector of the Year Award NEEDS to be named after Joe Thomas. #DawgPound
"The model of consistency that Joe Thomas put out there was the gold standard."
Presented by #fairwayford https://t.co/BUzmewFT64 pic.twitter.com/eKyj1WQsbC
— The BIG Factor (@TheBIGFactor) May 25, 2025
Granted, being a Browns fan, he’s always going to be a little biased.
Nevertheless, even if that’s the case, there’s just no way to take anything away from Thomas and his impressive career.
He stood by a carousel of quarterbacks, and he made sure each and every single one of them was out of harm’s way.
He still holds the record for the most consecutive snaps played in NFL history (10,363), and that kind of longevity and durability speaks volumes about his impact on the game.
Offensive tackles have to take a beating week in and week out, oftentimes holding their ground against two players.
Thomas was the true definition of hard work, leadership, and consistency, as shown by his eight All-Pro selections in a decade.
He gave up only 30 sacks in 11 years in the league, which equaled one sack allowed in 0.004% of his pass-blocking plays.
That’s not the Protector of the Year; it’s the protector of a lifetime.
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