From the moment that Cleveland Browns legend Doug Dieken announced his retirement from the radio booth at the end of the 2021 season, speculation grew that fellow legend and Number 73 Joe Thomas would take Dieken’s position.
https://twitter.com/VintageBrowns/status/1513664032347148290
Yesterday, Thomas shot down the speculation in a way that you may not have expected.
The Dream Job
Mary Kay Cabot asked Thomas about following in Dieken’s footsteps.
Thomas answered that it is a “dream job” for many reasons.
Not only does it allow the person to be a voice for the Cleveland Browns each week, but it also enables that person to work with Jim Donovan who Thomas called “the best play-by-play guy in all of football.”
If it is a dream job, then why wouldn’t Thomas jump at the chance to do it?
He explains it very simply.
The job involves 20 weekends of work per year, and with three young children at home, the weekends are when he gets to spend the most time with them.
It sounds like the door is closed for now on this opportunity but down the road, that may change.
Thomas added he would like to deliver hot dogs to the booth occasionally and get a chance to speak with Donovan and whomever his future partner is.
What’s Next For Thomas?
He noted that he will be appearing on NFL Network covering the NFL Draft at the end of the month.
Thomas also has a podcast called The Thom @ Hawk Football Show that has new episodes during the season and a few off-season ones as well.
Occasional NFL Network appearances are also on his docket.
With NFL Network losing Thursday Night Football in 2022 to Amazon Prime, we won’t have the pleasure of seeing Thomas each Thursday during the season unless he jumps over to Amazon Prime.
The NFL Network TNF crew with Colleen Wolfe, Steve Smith, Joe Thomas, and Michael Irvin is highly underrated. I’m not sure there’s an NFL crew that is better.
— Ryan Glasspiegel (@sportsrapport) September 24, 2021
There is no word if Thomas plans a repeat run at calling the Browns preseason games for News 5 Cleveland as he did in 2021.
Former #Browns All-Pro tackle Joe Thomas will serve as TV analyst for broadcast of team's three preseason games.
— Tom Withers (@twithersAP) July 27, 2021
Hopefully, we hear and see plenty of Thomas during the 2022 season.
NEXT: Browns Nation News And Notes (4/12/22)