Joe Thomas (American football executive)

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Joe Thomas
Personal information
Born:(1921-03-18)March 18, 1921
Warren, Ohio, U.S.
Died:February 10, 1983(1983-02-10) (aged 61)
Miami, Florida, U.S.
Career information
College:Ohio Northern
Career history
As a coach:
As an administrator:
Career NFL statistics
Win–loss record:2–9
Winning %:.182
Coaching stats at PFR

Joseph Henry Thomas (March 18, 1921[1] – February 10, 1983) was a National Football League (NFL) general manager and also served as the head coach of the Baltimore Colts for part of the 1974 season.

Minnesota Vikings and Miami Dolphins[edit]

Thomas was director of player personnel for the Minnesota Vikings (1960–65) and the Miami Dolphins from 1965 until his contract dispute with team owner Joe Robbie culminated with his resignation on February 22, 1972. He was succeeded by Bobby Beathard three days later.[2] The Dolphins won the subsequent two Super Bowls.

Baltimore Colts[edit]

Thomas arranged for Robert Irsay to purchase the Los Angeles Rams from the estate of Dan Reeves for $19 million before exchanging them for Carroll Rosenbloom's Baltimore Colts in an unprecedented transaction which was completed on July 13, 1972. He became general manager of the Colts, succeeding Don Klosterman who transitioned to the Rams in a similar capacity.[3][4]

When the ballclub opened 1972 at 1–4, he fired head coach Don McCafferty on October 16 and replaced him with defensive line coach John Sandusky who was ordered by Thomas to start younger players over the veterans.[5] The result was Johnny Unitas being benched for the remainder of the season in favor of Marty Domres.[6] After the 5–9 Colts finished its first losing campaign in sixteen years,[7] he dismissed Sandusky and his entire coaching staff on December 20.[8]

He was reunited with Dolphins offensive coordinator Howard Schnellenberger who was named as Sandusky's successor eight weeks later on February 14, 1973.[9] When the Colts went 4–13 over parts of two seasons with Schnellenberger at the helm, Thomas was named to replace him by Irsay following a 30–10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles at Veterans Stadium on September 29, 1974.[10] Irsay had first gone to the press box to inform Thomas that he was the new head coach and then to the locker room to announce his actions to the Colts players before breaking the news to Schnellenberger in a heated discussion in the coaches office.[11][12]

Weeks prior to hiring Schnellenberger, Thomas purged the team of its veteran players, beginning with trading Unitas to the San Diego Chargers on January 22, 1973.[13] Within the next ten days, Tom Matte would follow Unitas to San Diego, Bill Curry was sent to the Houston Oilers, Billy Newsome to the New Orleans Saints, Norm Bulaich to the Philadelphia Eagles and Jerry Logan to the Rams.[14] The Newsome deal brought to the Colts the second overall selection in the 1973 NFL Draft which was used to pick Bert Jones. In that draft and the one the following year, Thomas would also select a pair of blind-side offensive linemen in David Taylor and Robert Pratt and an entire defensive line of Joe Ehrmann, Mike Barnes, John Dutton and Fred Cook.[7]

After the Colts qualified for the NFL playoffs by winning the AFC East title in each of two consecutive seasons in 1975 and 1976, Thomas lost a power struggle over player personnel decisions to head coach Ted Marchibroda and was fired by Irsay on January 21, 1977.[15] The Colts had five different head coaches during Thomas' five-year tenure, one of whom was himself.

San Francisco 49ers[edit]

Thomas then was hired as GM of the San Francisco 49ers in 1977 by new owner Eddie DeBartolo at the recommendation of Al Davis and immediately fired head coach Monte Clark.[16] The 49ers went 7–23 in his two seasons with the franchise, and his biggest trade, a series of five high draft picks for O. J. Simpson. He also fired two more head coaches, Ken Meyer and Pete McCulley (and made 14 total roster changes).[17] Thomas and his third 49ers head coach Fred O'Connor were dismissed on January 8, 1979, one day prior to Bill Walsh succeeding the latter.[18]

Head coaching record[edit]

Team Year Regular season Postseason
Won Lost Ties Win % Finish Result
BAL 1974 2 9 0 .222 5th in AFC East Missed playoffs
Total[19] 2 9 0 .222

Personal life[edit]

Thomas married the former Judi Demian in 1969. They had a daughter, Paige, in June 1970.

Thomas died on February 10, 1983, at the age of 61. He was living in Miami and was VP of the Miami Dolphins at the time of his death.[20]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Joe Thomas". Pro-football-reference. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  2. ^ Wallace, William N. "Cards Get Anderson, Send Lane to Packers," The New York Times, Wednesday, February 23, 1972. Retrieved September 27, 2020
  3. ^ Maule, Tex. "Nays On The Neighs, Yea On The Baas," Sports Illustrated, August 14, 1972.. Retrieved May 16, 2018
  4. ^ Wallace, William N. "Colts' Franchise Traded for Rams; Players Remain," The New York Times, Friday, July 14, 1972.. Retrieved May 16, 2018
  5. ^ Wallace, William N. "About Pro Football: Colts Endorse Their Ex-Coach," The New York Times, Wednesday, October 18, 1972.. Retrieved May 17, 2018
  6. ^ Anderson, Dave. "Jets Pleased With Colts’ Plan Of Benching Unitas for Domres," The New York Times, Monday, October 23, 1972.. Retrieved May 17, 2018
  7. ^ a b Mulvoy, Mark. "The New Colts Are Mighty Frisky," Sports Illustrated, December 8, 1975.. Retrieved May 17, 2018
  8. ^ "Colts Discharge Sandusky And Five Assistant Coaches," The Associated Press, Thursday, December 21, 1972.. Retrieved May 17, 2018
  9. ^ Wallace, William N. "Schnellenberger Is Hired by Colts," The New York Times, Thursday, February 15, 1973.. Retrieved May 18, 2018
  10. ^ "Colts Oust Coach," United Press International, Sunday, September 29, 1974.. Retrieved May 19, 2018
  11. ^ "Colts Fire Schnellenberger; Thomas New Coach," The Associated Press (AP), Monday, September 30, 1974. Retrieved November 23, 2020
  12. ^ "Colt Owner Plays Executioner's Role," The New York Times, Tuesday, October 1, 1974. Retrieved November 23, 2020
  13. ^ Wallace, William N. "Unitas Is Traded to Chargers, But Says He May Not Report," The New York Times, Tuesday, January 23, 1973.. Retrieved May 18, 2018
  14. ^ D'Adamo, Joe & Underwood, John. "Eleven Days That Shook The Colts," Sports Illustrated, February 12, 1973.
  15. ^ Brady, Dave. "Colt Owner Irsay Fires GM Thomas," The Washington Post, Saturday, January 22, 1977.. Retrieved May 5, 2018
  16. ^ Marshall, Joe. "The Party Became a Lynching," Sports Illustrated, April 18, 1977.
  17. ^ Smolich, Marco (1978), Big Sweep Muddles 49er Picture, web: The Sacramento Bee, retrieved March 13, 2023
  18. ^ "Bill Walsh Is Named 49er Coach," The Associated Press (AP), Tuesday, January 9, 1979. Retrieved November 20, 2020
  19. ^ "Joe Thomas NFL Record, Statistics, and Category Ranks". Pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  20. ^ "JOE THOMAS, A NOTED BUILDER OF MIAMI SUPERBOWL [sic] TEAMS". The New York Times. February 10, 1983. Retrieved November 6, 2013.