Shamarko Thomas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Shamarko Thomas

Thomas with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2015
No. 29, 38
Position:	Safety
Personal information
Born:	(1991-02-23) February 23, 1991 (age 34) Virginia Beach, Virginia, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight:	205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school:	Ocean Lakes (Virginia Beach, Virginia)
College:	Syracuse
NFL Draft:	2013 / Round: 4 / Pick: 111
Career history
Pittsburgh Steelers (2013–2016) New York Jets (2017)* Buffalo Bills (2017) Indianapolis Colts (2018)* Denver Broncos (2018) New York Guardians (2020)* DC Defenders (2020) Ottawa Redblacks (2021)*
CFL status:	American
Career highlights and awards
First-team All-Big East (2012)
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles: 69 Forced fumbles: 1 Fumble recoveries: 1
Player stats at PFR

Shamarko Lanell Thomas was born on February 23, 1991. He is a former American football player who played as a safety. He played college football for Syracuse University.

The Pittsburgh Steelers picked him in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL draft. Shamarko also played for several other teams during his career. These teams included the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos, New York Guardians, DC Defenders, and the Ottawa Redblacks.

Early Life and High School Sports

Shamarko Thomas grew up in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He went to Ocean Lakes High School and played for their football team, the Ocean Lakes Dolphins. He was a very good player in high school.

High School Football Achievements

• In 2008, he was named first-team all-state, which means he was one of the best players in the entire state.
• He also earned all-region and All-Tidewater honors.
• He was chosen as a first-team all-district player twice.
• Shamarko set new school records for the most tackles, interceptions, and defensive touchdowns in his career.
• In 2008, he led his team with 102 tackles and helped them achieve a great 12–1 record.
• He was named the team's defensive MVP in 2008.

Track and Field Star

Shamarko was also a talented track athlete at Ocean Lakes High School.

• He earned all-state honors in the 100 meters race.
• He was the last runner in the 4 × 100 meter relay team that finished seventh in Virginia.
• At the 2009 Beach District Championships, he won first place in the 100 meters. He also placed third in the 200 meters race.

College Football Career

Shamarko Thomas attended Syracuse University from 2009 to 2012. He was a key player for the Syracuse Orange football team.

• During his time at Syracuse, he started 43 out of 48 games.
• He made 263 tackles, which is a lot for a safety.
• He also had two interceptions and four quarterback sacks.
• In his senior year in 2012, he was chosen as a first-team All-Big East Conference player. This means he was one of the best safeties in his college conference.

Professional Football Journey

Before the NFL draft, experts thought Shamarko would be picked in the third or fourth round. They liked his coverage skills and toughness. However, some worried his height might be a problem when covering taller players.

NFL Combine Performance

Shamarko was invited to the NFL Combine, where players show off their skills.

• He performed well, even though he fell during his 40 yard dash.
• He couldn't do the three-cone drill at first because of a hamstring injury.
• He later completed the three-cone drill at Syracuse's Pro Day.
• He was ranked as one of the top strong safeties by NFLDraftScout.com.

Playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers

Thomas with the Steelers in 2013

The Pittsburgh Steelers chose Shamarko Thomas in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL draft. He was the 111th player picked overall.

Rookie Season (2013)

• Shamarko signed a four-year contract with the Steelers.
• He started his first season as a backup safety.
• He played his first professional game against the Tennessee Titans, making two tackles.
• On September 22, 2013, he had his first start against the Chicago Bears.
• His best game was on November 3, 2013, when he made 8 tackles against the New England Patriots.
• He got an ankle injury in Week 10, which made him miss two games.
• He finished his rookie season with 29 tackles in 14 games, starting two of them.

Second Season (2014)

• During the offseason, Shamarko trained with famous Steelers safety Troy Polamalu.
• He won the backup strong safety position before the season started.
• He mostly played on special teams, which are plays like kickoffs and punts.
• In 2014, he played in 11 games and made 5 tackles. He also forced his first fumble against the Carolina Panthers.

Third Season (2015)

• After Troy Polamalu retired, many thought Shamarko would become the main starting safety.
• However, after the preseason, he became the backup to Will Allen.
• He played in 15 games this season, making 12 tackles.

Fourth Season (2016)

• Shamarko had another chance to become a starter in 2016.
• He competed with rookie Sean Davis and veteran Robert Golden for the strong safety spot.
• He lost the starting job to Robert Golden and was his backup.
• He was placed on injured reserve in December 2016.

Other NFL Teams

After his time with the Steelers, Shamarko played for several other NFL teams:

• He signed with the New York Jets in June 2017 but was released in September.
• He then signed with the Buffalo Bills in October 2017.
• In July 2018, he signed with the Indianapolis Colts but was released in August.
• He joined the Denver Broncos in August 2018, was released, then re-signed, and released again in December. He re-signed in January 2019 but was released in August.

XFL and CFL Career

• In January 2020, Shamarko signed with the New York Guardians of the XFL.
• He was later traded to the DC Defenders in January 2020. The XFL stopped playing games in April 2020.
• In April 2021, Shamarko signed with the Ottawa Redblacks of the CFL (Canadian Football League). He was placed on the suspended list in July 2021.

Personal Life

While Shamarko was attending Syracuse University in 2010, he went through a very tough time. He lost both his mother and father within nine months. His mother passed away from a heart condition, and his father died in a motorcycle accident.

As the oldest child in his family, Shamarko thought about entering the NFL draft early. He wanted to earn money to help support his four younger brothers and one sister. This shows how much he cared for his family.