Blair Thomas facts for kids

Blair Lamar Thomas (born October 7, 1967) is a former American football player. He was a talented running back who played in the National Football League (NFL). Blair Thomas played for several teams, including the New York Jets, New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons, and Carolina Panthers. Before joining the NFL, he played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions. He was recognized as a first-team All-American in 1989, which means he was one of the best college players in the country.

Early Life and High School Football

Blair Thomas grew up in Philadelphia and went to Frankford High School. In his senior year, he was an amazing running back. He ran for 1,551 yards and scored 24 touchdowns. His skills helped his team win the Public League title. He also earned All-state honors, showing he was one of the best players in Pennsylvania.

During his three years at Frankford, Blair set a new Public League record. He rushed for a total of 3,941 yards. He also tied the record for career touchdowns with 59.

College Career at Penn State

Blair Thomas received a football scholarship to Penn State University. As a freshman in 1985, he played a small role as a backup running back. He carried the ball 14 times for 42 yards.

In 1986, during his sophomore year, he became a key backup. He played on the National Championship team. He gained 504 yards and scored 5 rushing touchdowns. He even broke a school record for yards per carry, averaging 8.4 yards.

His junior year in 1987 was outstanding. He became the starting running back. He led the team with 1,414 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. He also caught 23 passes for 300 yards and 2 receiving touchdowns. In a game against the University of Notre Dame, he ran for a career-high 214 yards. Unfortunately, he injured his right knee before the Citrus Bowl. He spent the entire 1988 season recovering from surgery.

Blair returned strong for his senior year in 1989. Even after his knee surgery, he rushed for over 100 yards in six straight games. He finished the season with 1,341 yards. In the Holiday Bowl, he set a bowl record with 186 rushing yards. He was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of that game. He also earned MVP honors in the Senior Bowl.

He finished his college career with 3,301 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns. This placed him second on Penn State's all-time rushing list. He was the first player at Penn State to rush for over 1,300 yards in two different seasons. In 2011, Blair Thomas was honored by being inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.

Professional Football Career

New York Jets

The New York Jets picked Blair Thomas second overall in the 1990 NFL draft. They hoped he would become a star player. As a rookie, he was part of a group of running backs. He rushed for 620 yards on 123 carries. He led all NFL rookies in yards-per-carry that year.

In 1991, his carries increased, and he led the team with 728 rushing yards. He scored 3 touchdowns that season. He had a career-high 125 rushing yards in a game against the Chicago Bears.

Injuries affected his 1992 season, limiting him to 9 games. He rushed for 440 yards. In 1993, the Jets brought in another running back. Blair's playing time decreased, and he rushed for 221 yards. Over his four seasons with the Jets, he rushed for 2,000 yards and five touchdowns.

New England Patriots

In 1994, Blair Thomas signed with the New England Patriots. He faced more injury challenges, spraining his ankle early in the season. He played in 4 games, rushing for 67 yards and one touchdown.

Dallas Cowboys

Later in 1994, the Dallas Cowboys signed him. He served as a backup to star running back Emmitt Smith. In a playoff game against the Green Bay Packers, Blair stepped in when Smith was injured. He rushed for 70 yards and scored two touchdowns, helping the Cowboys win 35–9. This was his only playoff game appearance.

Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers

In 1995, Blair briefly signed with the Atlanta Falcons but was released before the season started. He then joined the Carolina Panthers later that year. He played in 7 games for the Panthers, rushing for 90 yards. He was not re-signed after the season.

NFL Career Statistics

Coaching Career and Community Work

After his playing career, Blair Thomas became a running backs coach at Temple University. He coached there for eight seasons, from 1998 to 2005. He helped develop many young players during his time there. He was also in charge of recruiting new players from certain areas.

Blair also volunteers as an instructor for Football University. In 2008, he and other former NFL players held a youth football camp. This camp was in Barrow, Alaska, a very remote town. They helped the local high school start its football program from scratch.

Personal Life

Blair Thomas lives in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Lisa. They have three children named Preston, Keisha, and Blair. He is also a business partner in a chain of sports bars.