Adalius Thomas facts for kids
Thomas at New England Patriots training camp in 2009
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| Position: | Linebacker | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | August 18, 1977 Equality, Alabama, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 270 lb (122 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Central Coosa (Rockford, Alabama) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Southern Miss | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2000 / Round: 6 / Pick: 186 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
Adalius Donquail Thomas (born July 18, 1977) is a former American football player. He played as a linebacker for ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Adalius played college football at the University of Southern Mississippi. He was picked by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2000 NFL draft. He also played for the New England Patriots.
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Early Life and High School
Adalius Thomas grew up in Rockford, Alabama. He went to Central Coosa High School. There, he was a star in both football and basketball.
In football, he was named an all-state player in his senior year. In basketball, he led his team to a State Title. He was also named the Alabama Class 4A Player of the Year.
College Football Star
After high school, Thomas went to the University of Southern Mississippi. He played as a defensive end for the Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team. A defensive end is a player who tries to tackle the opposing team's quarterback.
Thomas was a key player on one of the best college football defenses. He won the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year award twice. This was in his junior and senior years. His team, the Golden Eagles, won three Conference USA championships. They also won two Liberty Bowls during his time there.
In 1996, he was named a Freshman All-American. This means he was one of the best first-year players in the country. In 1998, he had his best season. He made 71 tackles and 12.5 sacks. A sack is when a defensive player tackles the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage. He was named a first-team All-American that year.
Thomas also played power forward for the Golden Eagles basketball team. He was the first player in his university's history to play both football and basketball.
Playing in the NFL
Adalius Thomas was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in 2000. He was the 186th player chosen overall. He played for the Ravens for seven seasons.
Baltimore Ravens Years
In his early years with the Ravens, Thomas played on special teams. Special teams are units that play during kickoffs and punts. He was very good at it. In 2003, he was chosen for his first Pro Bowl. The Pro Bowl is an all-star game for the best NFL players.
In 2004, Thomas became a full-time starter. He played as a linebacker. A linebacker is a defensive player who lines up behind the defensive line. They are very versatile and can tackle, rush the passer, or cover receivers. He had 8 sacks and 72 tackles that year.
His best season was in 2006. He made the Pro Bowl again. He was also named a first-team All-Pro. This means he was considered one of the very best players in the entire league. He had 106 tackles and 11 sacks. He also scored a touchdown by returning a fumble 57 yards.
New England Patriots Years
In 2007, Thomas signed a big contract with the New England Patriots. The Patriots' coach, Bill Belichick, joked that they "backed up the Brink's truck" to pay him. Thomas played mostly as an inside linebacker for the Patriots.
During the 2007 season, the Patriots had a perfect regular season. Thomas gave out "humble pie" T-shirts to his teammates. This was to remind them to stay humble after each win. He played in Super Bowl XLII that year. In that game, he had two sacks and forced a fumble.
In 2008, Thomas continued to play for the Patriots. He led the team with five sacks before getting injured. He was released by the Patriots in 2010.
Career Highlights
Adalius Thomas had a successful NFL career. He played in 135 games, starting 109 of them. He recorded 523 total tackles and 53 sacks. He also forced 15 fumbles and made 7 interceptions. He scored 6 defensive touchdowns during his career. Thomas was a Super Bowl champion with the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV. He was a two-time Pro Bowl selection and a first-team All-Pro player.
