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Earl Thomas facts for kids

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This page is about the American football player. For other uses, see Earl Thomas (disambiguation).
Quick facts for kids
Earl Thomas
refer to caption
Thomas with the Seattle Seahawks in 2014
No. 29
Position: Safety
Personal information
Born: (1989-05-07) May 7, 1989 (age 36)
Orange, Texas, U.S.
Height: 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight: 202 lb (92 kg)
Career information
High school: West Orange-Stark (Orange, Texas)
College: Texas (2007–2009)
NFL Draft: 2010 / Round: 1 / Pick: 14
Career history
Career highlights and awards
  • Super Bowl champion (XLVIII)
  • 3× First-team All-Pro (2012–2014)
  • 2× Second-team All-Pro (2011, 2017)
  • 7× Pro Bowl (2011–2015, 2017, 2019)
  • NFL 2010s All-Decade Team
  • Consensus All-American (2009)
  • First-team All-Big 12 (2009)
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles: 713
Sacks: 2
Forced fumbles: 12
Fumble recoveries: 6
Interceptions: 30
Defensive touchdowns: 4
Player stats at PFR

Earl Winty Thomas III (born May 7, 1989) is an American former professional football player. He was a safety in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas Longhorns. He was named an All-American and played in the 2010 BCS National Championship Game.

After college, the Seattle Seahawks picked him in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft. With the Seahawks, he was a key player in their "Legion of Boom" defense. He earned 6 Pro Bowl selections and 5 All-Pro honors. He helped the Seahawks win Super Bowl XLVIII and also played in Super Bowl XLIX. After nine seasons, he joined the Baltimore Ravens for one year, earning his 7th Pro Bowl invite.

Early Life and High School Football

Earl Thomas grew up in Orange, Texas. He went to West Orange-Stark High School. There, he was a star in football, basketball, baseball, and track and field. In football, he played defensive back, running back, and wide receiver. He was an all-state player for three years.

He made 112 tackles and 11 interceptions in his high school career. He also scored touchdowns from kickoff and punt returns. On offense, he gained over 1,850 rushing yards and 2,140 receiving yards. In track, he was a sprinter and jumper. He even reached the state finals with his relay team.

College Career at Texas

Thomas played college football for the Texas Longhorns. He joined the team in 2007. After his first year, he became a starter at strong safety in 2008. He had 63 tackles and 17 pass breakups. These were the most pass breakups ever by a Longhorn freshman. He also had two interceptions and four forced fumbles.

In 2009, as a sophomore, Thomas was amazing. He intercepted eight passes, returning two for touchdowns. He was named a first-team All-American. He was also a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the best defensive back. His team went undefeated in the regular season. They played in the 2010 BCS National Championship Game but lost to Alabama. After this season, Thomas decided to enter the NFL Draft early.

Professional Football Career

Joining the Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks chose Earl Thomas as the 14th pick in the 2010 NFL draft. He was the second safety picked that year. In July 2010, he signed a five-year contract with the Seahawks.

His first season in 2010, Thomas became the starting free safety. He played in all 16 games. In Week 3, he had two interceptions against the San Diego Chargers. Later, he scored his first career touchdown by returning a blocked punt. The Seahawks made the playoffs that year. Thomas had 76 tackles and five interceptions in his rookie season.

Building the "Legion of Boom"

In 2011, Thomas continued as a starting safety. He was selected for his first Pro Bowl. He finished the season with 98 tackles and two interceptions. He was also named second-team All-Pro.

The 2012 season saw Thomas make his first "pick six" (an interception returned for a touchdown). He was again selected for the Pro Bowl and earned First-team All-Pro honors. The Seahawks reached the playoffs, where Thomas had two interceptions.

In 2013, Thomas had a career-high 105 tackles. He also had five interceptions and two forced fumbles. He earned First-team All-Pro honors for the second year in a row. The Seahawks had a great season, finishing 13–3. They won Super Bowl XLVIII against the Denver Broncos. Thomas was a key part of this championship team.

Continued Success and Injuries

In 2014, the Seahawks signed Thomas to a big contract extension. He continued to play at a high level. He had 97 tackles and one interception. He was named First-team All-Pro again. The Seahawks made it to Super Bowl XLIX but lost a close game to the New England Patriots. Thomas played in the game despite a shoulder injury.

Thomas had shoulder surgery in 2015. He still played in all 16 games. He had 64 tackles and five interceptions. He was selected for his fifth straight Pro Bowl.

The 2016 season was tough for Thomas due to injuries. He scored a touchdown by returning a fumble. However, he broke his tibia (lower leg bone) in Week 13. This injury ended his season. It was the first time he missed a game in his career.

In 2017, Thomas returned strong. He had an interception return for a touchdown against the Houston Texans. He was named to his sixth Pro Bowl.

The 2018 season started with Thomas holding out from training camp. He wanted a new contract or a trade. He returned for Week 1 and had two interceptions in his first three games. However, in Week 4, he suffered another broken leg. This injury ended his season with the Seahawks.

Time with the Baltimore Ravens

In 2019, Earl Thomas signed a four-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens. In his first game with the Ravens, he got an interception. This marked his 10th straight season with at least one interception.

He had a strong season with the Ravens. He recorded 49 tackles, two sacks, and two interceptions. He earned his seventh Pro Bowl nomination. The Ravens made the playoffs, but lost in the divisional round.

In August 2020, Thomas was released by the Ravens. This was due to issues with team conduct. After his release, he did not sign with another NFL team.

NFL Career Statistics

Earl Thomas played 140 regular season games in his NFL career. He had 713 total tackles, 30 interceptions, and 4 defensive touchdowns. He also had 12 forced fumbles and 6 fumble recoveries.

Regular season

Year Team GP Tackles Fumbles Interceptions
Cmb Solo Ast Sck FF FR Yds Int Yds Avg Lng TD PD
2010 SEA 16 76 64 12 0.0 1 0 0 5 68 13.6 34 0 7
2011 SEA 16 98 69 29 0.0 1 2 0 2 19 9.5 11 0 7
2012 SEA 16 66 42 24 0.0 1 1 0 3 80 26.7 57 1 9
2013 SEA 16 105 78 27 0.0 2 0 0 5 9 1.8 11 0 9
2014 SEA 16 97 71 26 0.0 4 1 0 1 47 47.0 47 0 5
2015 SEA 16 64 45 19 0.0 1 0 0 5 67 13.4 32 0 9
2016 SEA 11 48 24 24 0.0 0 1 34 2 5 2.5 5 1 10
2017 SEA 14 88 56 32 0.0 1 0 0 2 97 48.5 78 1 7
2018 SEA 4 22 16 6 0.0 0 0 0 3 25 8.3 25 0 5
2019 BAL 15 49 32 17 2.0 1 1 6 2 38 19.0 25 0 4
Total 140 713 497 216 2.0 11 6 40 30 455 15.2 78 3 72

Postseason

Year Team GP Tackles Fumbles Interceptions
Cmb Solo Ast Sck FF FR Yds Int Yds Avg Lng TD PD
2010 SEA 2 12 12 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 1
2012 SEA 2 8 3 5 0.0 0 0 0 2 1 0.5 2 0 2
2013 SEA 3 24 17 7 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 3
2014 SEA 3 25 17 8 0.0 1 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 2
2015 SEA 2 13 5 8 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 1
2019 BAL 1 7 6 1 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0
Total 13 89 60 29 1.0 1 0 0 2 1 0.5 2 0 9

Images for kids

  • Earl Thomas (defensive back)

    Thomas in the 2011 preseason

  • Earl Thomas 2014

    Thomas in 2014

See Also

  • Legion of Boom
  • List of Texas Longhorns football All-Americans
  • List of Seattle Seahawks first-round draft picks
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