A new class of Pro Football Hall of Famers was inducted this past weekend in Canton. When these elite athletes share details about their journeys on and off the field in their enshrinement speeches, it’s fascinating to consider what they’ve accomplished.
The Hall of Fame class is often filled with memorable speeches from big-name players or star quarterbacks who headline the ceremony, but this year I found the comments from former Cleveland Browns offensive lineman, Joe Thomas, to really stand out.
Individually, Thomas was an enforcer and protector and highly successful in his role as the left tackle, resulting in ten Pro Bowls in 11 seasons and becoming a member of the 2010s NFL all-decade team.
However, throughout his tenure in the league, the Cleveland Browns experienced an unbelievable amount of losses. According to the AP, Thomas’ .287 winning percentage is the worst of any of the Hall of Fame’s 369 inductees.
He also played for six different head coaches, never appeared in a playoff game, and blocked for 20 different starting quarterbacks – more than any other offensive lineman in NFL history.
Despite all the losses and issues he endured within the Browns franchise, he remained reliable, steady, consistent, and committed by starting 167 of 167 games. Not only did Thomas start every game, but he played a record 10,363 consecutive snaps in his career – all with the Browns.
His wife, Annie Thomas, did an intro video before Joe’s speech and said, “He’s the one you can rely on…His legacy is he is consistent. You can count on him no matter what.”
Thomas then went on to say in his speech, “I want to start by quickly talking about a random number — 10,363. That’s not too random, but that’s how many consecutive snaps I had during my career. From my first snap in 2007 to my last snap [in 2017] when I tore my triceps tendon, that’s how long this journey has been.
That number 10,363 is special to me in a lot of ways, and not just because it’s an NFL record but because it shows I was there for my brothers 10,363 times in a row. They could count on me. Being an offensive lineman is also about being a servant…
“Loyalty, consistency, doing something bigger than yourself, showing up for the man next to you. Those are the values I learned at an early age, and those are the values that I took onto the football field.”
As a fan of Thomas’ perspective on serving his teammates, and willingly showing up for them every day, I want to unpack how his consistency and commitment can be inspiring for us in our own lives.
Hopefully, we appreciate the people we can always count on and depend on to be loyal and steady – especially in the midst of “losing seasons.” The question is, are we that person for others?
Of course, nobody is perfect and we let people down (and yes, Joe Thomas gave up sacks), but are we committed to serving those around us “play after play after play”?
When our “brothers” need us, are we there? Do we value, “Loyalty, consistency, doing something bigger than yourself, showing up for the man next to you”?
Joe Thomas said, “Count on me was my motto. It still is my motto to this day.”
He also spoke to the fans, “Cleveland, you could always count on me. Thank you so much for allowing me to count on you. Don’t forget to show up for each other.”
I think it’s fair to say that Joe’s commitment and consistency revealed his love for his teammates, the game of football, and the fans of Cleveland.
When it comes to our own lives as followers of Jesus, our love must drive us to show up for others and be committed to serving them in significant ways.
Jesus says in John 15:12 (AMP), “This is My commandment, that you love and unselfishly seek the best for one another, just as I have loved you.”
Because of the victory we have in Christ and His power and love within us, each day we serve God and others with consistency, loyalty, steadiness, and commitment.
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:58 (CSB), “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
Today, in order to remain steadfast in our faith in Jesus and continue to be a person that others can count on, let’s be consistent with our praying, worshipping, fellowshipping, and reading God’s Word.
I’m Bryce Johnson, and you can UNPACK that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I desire to be the person who shows up for others and can be counted on by others. Please empower me to be a consistent friend, remain steadfast in my faith, and be committed to serving those around me. I need Your help to do so. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
2. In what ways could you consistently show up for others – especially for those who really need you?
