BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY
Broderick Thomas
| No. 51 | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Defensive End / Linebacker |
Personal information
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| Date of birth: | February 20, 1967 |
| Place of birth: | Houston, Texas |
| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Weight: | 254 lb (115 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Houston (TX) Madison |
| College: | Nebraska |
| NFL draft: | 1989 / Round: 1 / Pick: 6 |
Career history
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| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Career NFL statistics
| |
| Sacks: | 47.5 |
| Interceptions: | 2 |
| Touchdowns: | 1 |
| Stats at NFL.com | |
| Stats at pro-football-reference.com | |
Broderick Lee Thomas (born February 20, 1967) is a former professional American football player in the National Football League.
Early years
College career
Thomas was a two-time All-American (1987, 1988) at the University of Nebraska and was later named to the Nebraska All-Century team.[2] He is acknowledged by some and himself as one of the greatest defensive players in the history of Nebraska football.[3] He was named the 36th greatest Buccaneer player of all time in 2003.[4] he called himself "Sandman", because he put running backs to sleep.
Professional career
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Thomas was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round (sixth overall) of the 1989 NFL Draft. At 6'4", 254-lb, he was projected as an outside linebacker or defensive end, but the team decided to play him at middle linebacker in a 4-3 defense as a rookie, which caused him problems learning the system.[5]
His best season came in 1991 after being shot in the upper chest and right arm during the offseason.[6] He finished with 174 tackles (tied franchise single-season record), 11 sacks and received Pro Bowl consideration. The next year he reported out of shape for training camp and struggled with his pass coverage responsibilities as an outside linebacker in the team's new 3-4 defense.[7]
In 1993, he registered 75 tackles and one sacke, after his playing time was reduced to 8 starts, while platooning with Jimmy Williams. On June 31, 1994, he was waived in a salary cap move.[8]
Detroit Lions
On July 15, 1994, he was signed as a free agent by the Detroit Lions.[9] He finished with 7 sacks (led the team) and 63 tackles (fourth on the team).
Minnesota Vikings
On March 9, 1995, he signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Vikings.[10] He recorded 86 tackles and 6 sacks. He was released on February 9, 1996, after being charged with possession of an unauthorized hand gun and drunken driving.[11]
Dallas Cowboys
On March 22, 1996, he was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as a free agent, to replace Dixon Edwards, who in turn signed with the Vikings to replace Thomas.[12] In the last 6 games he was moved to defensive end after Charles Haley had season-ending back surgery, finishing with 4.5 sacks (second on the team) and 20 quarterback pressures. In1997, as a backup he registered 31 tackles, 3.5 sacks and 10 quarterback pressures (led the team).[13] The next year he was placed on the injured reserve list after tearing ligaments in his left knee.[14]
Personal
Thomas is the nephew of former Chicago Bears linebacker, and former San Francisco 49ers head coach Mike Singletary.[15] His son, Broderick Jr., also attended Madison High School in Houston, where he played quarterback, and later the University of Houston as a walk-on.[16] He resides in Houston, Texas.[17]
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