Pierre Thomas (American football)

Last updated

Pierre Thomas
Pierre Thomas (cropped).jpg
Thomas at the New Orleans Saints Super Bowl XLIV victory parade
No. 23, 32, 39
Position: Running back
Personal information
Born: (1984-12-18) December 18, 1984 (age 39)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Height:5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High school: T. F. South (Lansing, Illinois)
College: Illinois (2003–2006)
Undrafted: 2007
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards:3,809
Rushing average:4.6
Rushing touchdowns:28
Receptions:336
Receiving yards:2,692
Receiving touchdowns:12
Player stats at PFR

Charles Pierre Thomas Jr. (born December 18, 1984) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Illinois Fighting Illini. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2007. Thomas developed into an all-around threat as a runner, pass catcher, blocker, and special teams player. He led the Saints in rushing yards in 2008 and 2009 and again in 2013, when he also led all NFL running backs in receiving yards. He became known for his excellence in executing the screen pass; [1] [2] it was a screen pass on which he scored the Saints' first touchdown in their 31–17 win in Super Bowl XLIV, two weeks after he had scored two touchdowns in the Saints' 2009 NFC Championship game victory. [3]

Contents

Early life

Thomas played high school football at Thornton Fractional South High School in Lansing, Illinois, where he ran for 5,565 yards and 88 touchdowns in his career. [4] [5] He was twice named to the all-state teams of the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times and as a senior he was player of the year for the Champaign News-Gazette. [6] Some of his self-taught practice for high school football included running up a steep hill with a backpack full of books on and pushing cars around. [7]

College career

He was recruited by the University of Illinois. [8] He led the team in rushing for three seasons. [9] [10] [11] In 40 games he ran for 2,545 yards (6th all-time in Illinois history) and 20 touchdowns, had 57 catches for 411 yards and 3 touchdowns, and a total of 4,451 all-purpose yards (then second all-time at Illinois). [6] Nevertheless, he was not invited to the NFL combine, and ultimately he was not selected in the 2007 NFL Draft. [3]

College statistics

YearGP–GSRushingReceivingKick Returns
AttYardsAvgTDLongAvg/GRecRec–YardsAvgTDLongAvg/GNo.YardsAvgTDLong
2003 6–0 432335.423538.83124.0082.0713419.1029
2004 11–11 1528935.986981.214956.81348.62567727.1199
2005 11–11 1216645.253560.4282258.015220.52046123.0048
2006 12–11 1317555.856262.912796.61236.6722344.6075
Career 40–334532,5455.6206963.6574117.235210.859149525.3199

Professional career

New Orleans Saints

Brief overview

Thomas signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent, on the recommendation of special teams coach Greg McMahon, who had previously been an assistant at Illinois. [3] He was impressive in preseason games and the Saints ultimately decided to keep him while releasing the running back they had chosen with their fourth round draft pick, Antonio Pittman.

He signed a new four-year contract before the 2011 season, [3] and in March 2014 he signed a two-year contract extension, ending widely reported speculation that he might be released due to team salary cap problems. [12]

2007

Thomas's rookie year saw him buried on the depth chart behind Reggie Bush, Deuce McAllister, and Aaron Stecker, only logging 79 touches all year. [13] During Week 2, Thomas turned only the second touch from scrimmage of his NFL career into a 24-yard touchdown against the Saints’ longtime rival, the Atlanta Falcons. [13] However, it was not until Week 17 against the Chicago Bears that the NFL world first witnessed the kind of production Thomas would display over the course of his NFL career. In a game that saw notable Saints’ players Bush, McAllister, Marques Colston, and Terrance Copper all sit or leave the game with injuries, [14] Thomas was afforded the opportunity to touch the ball on 32 of the 83 offensive plays. He finished the game with 226 yards from scrimmage and the second touchdown of his career. [15] [16]

2008

After once again starting the season buried on the depth chart, a mid-season injury to Reggie Bush gave Pierre Thomas the lead-back opportunity on the NFL's highest scoring offense. [17] During Weeks 11–16, Thomas averaged 112.8 scrimmage yards per game as the Saints went 4–2. [18] He was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 14. [19] He scored at least one touchdown in all six games, including two-touchdown performances in three of them.

2009

After losing the majority of Week 1 to injury, Thomas got his first full-game action of the season going in Week 2 with a rushing performance that would end up as the best of his entire 9-year career. Thomas ran for 126 yards and two touchdowns on just 14 carries in a dominant 27–7 victory over the Buffalo Bills. [20] Thomas only received more than 14 carries once more all season, but at 5.89 scrimmage yards per touch, he served as an efficient Saints’ contributor during their 13–0 start to the season. In the NFC Championship Game against the Minnesota Vikings, Thomas contributed 99 yards and two touchdowns in a narrow 31–28 overtime win that sent the Saints to Super Bowl XLIV. [21] He produced another 85 yards and the Saints first touchdown of the game on his famous screen pass [22] to help put the Saints in position to beat the Indianapolis Colts with a score of 31–17. [23] This win marked the first championship in New Orleans Saints history, capping off an impressive 16–3 season and Thomas's career best 1,095 yards from scrimmage. [24]

2010–2011

After losing all but 6 games of the 2010 season due to ankle injuries, [25] [26] Pierre Thomas bounced back in 2011 with another productive season for the 13–3 Saints. [27] He only had two games all season with over 100 yards from scrimmage, however he still finished with 987 yards on 6.17 yards per touch. After totaling 121 yards in the NFC Wildcard Round against the Detroit Lions, Thomas's season ended earlier than expected against the San Francisco 49ers. In the NFC Divisional Round, he took a shot to the head on the 1-yard line that resulted in a concussion. [28] The Saints lost the game 32–36 and Thomas did not see the field again until the 2012 season. [29]

Thomas is best remembered for the Monday Night Game against Atlanta on December 26, 2011, when he placed a Christmas bow on a football then gave it to a fan as a Christmas present during a touchdown, drawing a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. The next day, he was fined $7,500 and an additional $5,000 for wearing red and green tape, a violation of the league's uniform policy. [30]

2012

In Week 2 of the 2012 season, against the Panthers, Thomas had 143 scrimmage yards in the 35–27 loss. [31] He had 105 carries for 473 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown to go with 39 receptions for 354 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown in 15 games and four starts in the 2012 season. [32]

2013

In Week 5 of the 2013 season, against the Bears, Thomas had two receiving touchdowns in the 26–18 victory. [33] In Week 10, against the Cowboys, he had 111 scrimmage yards, one rushing touchdown, and one receiving touchdown in the 49–17 victory. [34] In the 2013 season, Thomas had 147 carries for 549 rushing yard and two rushing touchdowns to go with 77 receptions for 513 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns in 16 games and nine starts. [35]

2014

Thomas appeared in 11 games and started three in the 2014 season. He had 45 carries for 222 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns to go with 45 receptions for 378 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown. [36]

On March 4, 2015, the Saints released Thomas, making him a free agent. [37]

San Francisco 49ers

On November 3, 2015, Thomas was signed by the San Francisco 49ers. [38] He was cut by the 49ers on November 10, 2015, after only playing one game against the Atlanta Falcons. [39]

Washington Redskins

On December 11, 2015, Thomas was signed by the Washington Redskins. [40] He played in four regular season games and one postseason game with Washington. [41]

NFL career statistics

Legend
BoldCareer high

Regular season

YearTeamGamesRushingReceiving
GPGSAttYdsAvgLngTDRecYdsAvgLngTD
2007 NOR 121522524.8241171518.9171
2008 NOR 1551296254.8429312849.2243
2009 NOR 1461477935.4346393027.7362
2010 NOR 63832693.2162292016.9230
2011 NOR 1671105625.1335504258.5571
2012 NOR 1541054734.5481393549.1361
2013 NOR 1691475493.7182775136.7293
2014 NOR 113452224.9272453788.4391
2015 SFO 104123.040000.000
WAS 4011524.71109849.3150
Career 110388333,8094.648283362,6928.05712

Playoffs

YearTeamGamesRushingReceiving
GPGSAttYdsAvgLngTDRecYdsAvgLngTD
2009 NOR 32361434.0121121119.3382
2011 NOR 219728.03117608.6140
2015 WAS 10471.870000.000
Career 63492224.5312191719.0382

Personal life

Thomas was born on Chicago's South Side, the son of Charles and Greta Thomas. His parents divorced a few years later and Greta moved with her children to Lynwood, Illinois, where she worked for the United States Postal Service. [42] [43] [44]

In 2013, Thomas was the Saints' team nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award in acknowledgment of his extensive charitable activities, including his iCan Foundation, which fights childhood obesity. [45]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerry Rice</span> American football player (born 1962)

Jerry Lee Rice is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 20 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He won three Super Bowl titles with the San Francisco 49ers before two shorter stints at the end of his career with the Oakland Raiders and Seattle Seahawks. Nicknamed "World" because of his superb catching ability, his accomplishments and numerous records, Rice is widely regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in NFL history. His biography on the official Pro Football Hall of Fame website names him "the most prolific wide receiver in NFL history with staggering career totals". In 1999, The Sporting News listed Rice second behind Jim Brown on its list of "Football's 100 Greatest Players". In 2010, he was chosen by NFL Network's NFL Films production The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players as the greatest player in NFL history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steven Jackson</span> American football player (born 1983)

Steven Rashad Jackson is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, primarily with the St. Louis Rams. He played college football for the Oregon State Beavers and was selected in the first round of the 2004 NFL draft by the Rams, where he spent his first nine seasons. In his final three seasons, he was a member of the Atlanta Falcons from 2013 to 2014 and the New England Patriots in 2015. Named to three Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams during his Rams tenure, Jackson is the franchise's all-time leading rusher.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reggie Bush</span> American football player (born 1985)

Reginald Alfred Bush III is an American former football running back who was an on-air college football analyst for Fox Sports. He played college football for the USC Trojans, earning consensus All-American honors twice and winning the Heisman Trophy as the most outstanding player in the nation. Bush is widely regarded as one of the greatest college football players of all-time. He was selected by the New Orleans Saints second overall in the 2006 NFL Draft. While with the Saints, Bush was named an All-Pro punt returner in 2008 and won Super Bowl XLIV in 2010 over the Indianapolis Colts. He also played for the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions, and San Francisco 49ers before retiring from professional football in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Gore</span> American football player (born 1983)

Franklin Gore Sr. is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. A member of the San Francisco 49ers during most of his career, he ranks third in NFL career rushing yards. His career was noted for its longevity, rare for his position, and he holds the league record for games played by a running back.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacquizz Rodgers</span> American football player (born 1990)

Jacquizz "Quizz" Rodgers is a former American football running back. He played college football at Oregon State, and was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Ingram II</span> American football player (born 1989)

Mark Valentino Ingram II is an American former football running back and current on-air personality for Fox Sports. He played 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, becoming the first Alabama player to win the Heisman Trophy after rushing for 1,658 yards in 2009 en route to winning the 2010 BCS National Championship Game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Ivory</span> American football player (born 1988)

Christopher Lee Ivory is an American former football running back in the National Football League (NFL). He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2010 and also played for the New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Buffalo Bills. He played college football at Washington State and Tiffin. He was named to one Pro Bowl during his career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raheem Mostert</span> American football player (born 1992)

Dominique Raheem Mostert is an American football running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Purdue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Latavius Murray</span> American football player (born 1990)

Latavius Rashard Murray is an American football running back who is a free agent. He played college football at UCF and was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the sixth round of the 2013 NFL draft, with whom he would earn Pro Bowl honors in 2015. He was also a member of the Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, and Buffalo Bills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devonta Freeman</span> American football player (born 1992)

Devonta Cornellius Freeman is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles and was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tevin Coleman</span> American football player (born 1993)

Tevin Ford Coleman is an American football running back who is a free agent. He played college football for the Indiana Hoosiers, earning unanimous All-American honors in 2014. He was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He has also played for the San Francisco 49ers and the New York Jets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dalvin Cook</span> American football player (born 1995)

Dalvin James Cook is an American football running back who is a free agent. He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles, earning unanimous All-American honors and finishing his career as the school's all-time leading rusher. Cook was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft, and in six seasons with the team, he earned Pro Bowl honors four times. He is the older brother of Buffalo Bills running back James Cook.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Johnson (running back)</span> American football player (born 1991)

David Jerome Johnson Sr. is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Northern Iowa Panthers and was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round of the 2015 NFL draft. Johnson spent five seasons with the Cardinals, earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections in 2016. He also played for the Houston Texans and New Orleans Saints.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian McCaffrey</span> American football player (born 1996)

Christian Jackson McCaffrey, also known by the initials CMC, is an American football running back for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Stanford Cardinal and was selected by the Carolina Panthers eighth overall in the 2017 NFL draft. As a sophomore in 2015, McCaffrey was named AP College Football Player of the Year and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. He holds the NCAA record for most all-purpose yards in a season (3,864).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alvin Kamara</span> American football player (born 1995)

Alvin Mentian Kamara is an American football running back for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Tennessee after transferring from Hutchinson Community College and was selected by the Saints in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft. He was named the NFL Rookie of the Year in 2017, was named a Pro Bowler in his first five NFL seasons, and is a two-time second-team All-Pro. In 2020, Kamara became the second player in NFL history to score six rushing touchdowns in a single game, tying Ernie Nevers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aaron Jones (running back)</span> American football player (born 1994)

Aaron LaRae Jones is an American football running back for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UTEP Miners and was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL draft. In seven seasons with the Packers, Jones led the league in rushing touchdowns in 2019, made the Pro Bowl in 2020, and ranks third in the team's all-time rushing yards list.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston Scott</span> American football player (born 1995)

Boston Nealand Scott is an American football running back for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL), and professional Rocket League esports player of Dignitas. He played college football at Louisiana Tech. He was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Scott also played for the Philadelphia Eagles and was known among fans as "the Giant Killer" due to his propensity to perform well against the New York Giants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deebo Samuel</span> American football player (born 1996)

Tyshun Raequan "Deebo" Samuel Sr. is an American football wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the South Carolina Gamecocks and was selected by the 49ers in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft. In 2021, he was selected to the Pro Bowl and received first-team All-Pro honors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandon Aiyuk</span> American football player (born 1998)

Brandon Aiyuk is an American football wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Sierra College and Arizona State and was selected by the 49ers in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenneth Walker III (running back)</span> American football player (born 2000)

Kenneth Walker III is an American football running back for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Wake Forest and Michigan State. He won the Walter Camp and Doak Walker Awards in 2021.

References

  1. ↑ Triplett, Mike (July 30, 2014). "Brees: Thomas NFL's best all-purpose back". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  2. ↑ Wesseling, Chris (August 5, 2013). "Pierre Thomas tops New Orleans Saints' RB depth chart". NFL.com. Archived from the original on December 17, 2014. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Bishop, Greg (January 12, 2012). "Healthy Running Back Has Saints Recalling Title Run". The New York Times. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  4. ↑ Martel, Brett (December 8, 2008). "Former Illini Thomas flourishes with Saints". The State Journal-Register. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Pierre Thomas, Thornton Fractional South , Running Back". 247Sports. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  6. 1 2 New Orleans Saints bio for Pierre Thomas (accessed December 17, 2014).
  7. ↑ Triplett, Mike (February 6, 2010). "New Orleans Pelicans' Pierre Thomas has plenty to smile about". The Times-Picayune . Retrieved February 14, 2010.
  8. ↑ "Pierre Thomas". The Fighting Illini. February 6, 2009. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved March 30, 2013.
  9. ↑ "2004 Illinois Fighting Illini Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  10. ↑ "2005 Illinois Fighting Illini Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  11. ↑ "2006 Illinois Fighting Illini Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  12. ↑ Vargas, Ramon Antonio (March 12, 2014). "Stop fretting, Saints fans -- Pierre Thomas is staying put, agent says". The Advocate. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  13. 1 2 "2007 New Orleans Saints Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Saints vs. Bears – Game Recap – December 30, 2007 – ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  15. ↑ "New Orleans Saints at Chicago Bears - December 30th, 2007". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Pierre Thomas 2007 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  17. ↑ "2008 New Orleans Saints Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Pierre Thomas 2008 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  19. ↑ "2008 NFL Week 14 Leaders & Scores". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  20. ↑ "New Orleans Saints at Buffalo Bills - September 27th, 2009". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  21. ↑ "NFC Championship - Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints - January 24th, 2010". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  22. ↑ "SI's 100 Best Super Bowl Photos". www.si.com. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  23. ↑ "Super Bowl XLIV - New Orleans Saints vs. Indianapolis Colts - February 7th, 2010". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  24. ↑ "2009 New Orleans Saints Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  25. ↑ "Pierre Thomas 2010 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  26. ↑ "Second Saints running back placed on IR". Reuters. January 5, 2011. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  27. ↑ "2011 New Orleans Saints Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  28. ↑ Branch, Eric (November 6, 2015). "Thomas on hit vs. 49ers: 'Whitner got me when I didn't see his a – -'". SFGate. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  29. ↑ "Divisional Round - New Orleans Saints at San Francisco 49ers - January 14th, 2012". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  30. ↑ "Saints RB fined $12,500 for festive celebration". ESPN.com. Associated Press. December 29, 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  31. ↑ "New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers - September 16th, 2012". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  32. ↑ "Pierre Thomas 2012 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  33. ↑ "New Orleans Saints at Chicago Bears - October 6th, 2013". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  34. ↑ "Dallas Cowboys at New Orleans Saints - November 10th, 2013". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  35. ↑ "Pierre Thomas 2013 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  36. ↑ "Pierre Thomas 2014 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  37. ↑ Triplett, Mike (March 4, 2015). "Source: Saints plan to release RB Thomas". ESPN.com. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  38. ↑ Rosenthal, Gregg (November 3, 2015). "Pierre Thomas signs contract with 49ers". NFL.com. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  39. ↑ Gantt, Darin (November 10, 2015). "49ers cut Pierre Thomas to make room for Travaris Cadet". NBC Sports. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  40. ↑ Patra, Kevin (December 11, 2015). "Redskins sign veteran running back Pierre Thomas". NFL.com. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  41. ↑ "Pierre Thomas 2015 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  42. ↑ Millman, Joel (December 4, 2009). "These Days, Everybody's All-American Just May Be a Haitian". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  43. ↑ "NFL pledges $2.5M to aid Haiti earthquake relief efforts". NFL.com. January 14, 2010. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  44. ↑ Hirstius, Harry, ed. (March 4, 2015). "Pierre Thomas Will Always Be a Saints Legend". Big Easy Believer (Fansided). Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  45. ↑ Triplett, Mike (December 10, 2013). "Saints nominate Thomas as Man of the Year". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.