After two years out of the league, veteran safety Earl Thomas wants to resume his career. In a conversation with ESPN’s Adam Schefter, he communicated his intention to return to the league (Twitter link). 
“I’m ready” the 32-year-old texted Schefter. “I’m in shape. My timing is on point – I’m proud of that.”
The three-time All-Pro has one of the most decorated resumes of any defensive back. In nine years with the Seahawks, he totalled 664 tackles, 28 interceptions and 67 pass deflections. A key member of the ‘Legion of Boom’, it was with Seattle that he made two straight Super Bowl appearances, including a title in 2013.
Things didn’t end well for Thomas in the Emerald City, however. A contract dispute, coupled with a broken leg, marked the conclusion of his final campaign with the Seahawks. He signed a four-year, $55MM deal with the Ravens in 2019, leading to big expectations for himself personally and the team in general.
In what ended up being his lone campaign in Baltimore, the 2010s All-Decade member put up respectable, if unspectacular, numbers. He recorded a pair of interceptions and allowed a passer rating of just 24.2, leading to his seventh Pro Bowl nod. His overall understanding of the playbook and interaction with teammates, however, weighed those statistics down.
Not long before the start of the subsequent season, Thomas was involved in an altercation with fellow safety Chuck Clark. Shortly thereafter, he was released by the Ravens. Speculation heated up regarding where his next destination would be, including, most notably, the Cowboys. No team came close to signing him, however, and he has remained on the sidelines for the past two seasons.
Now, he has at least declared himself capable of a return. How much interest he generates amongst teams looking to add to their secondary will be a storyline worth watching throughout the remainder of the offseason.
Well, if he thinks he can do it, I mean why not?
At least give him a chance, I mean give him that much
Would you want him back in Baltimore? To me, it seems like his antics are not worth it. If I don’t want him on my favorite team, so I certainly wouldn’t complain if every other feels the same way.
Absolutely not. The Ravens should have never signed him after how he treated Seattle in his final year. When he broke his leg and gave the entire team the middle finger as he was carted off the field. That should have been clue one and major red flat that this dude wasn’t all together upstairs.
It wasn’t just the altercation with Chuck Clark. He was also involved in a domestic dispute with his wife after she caught him in bed with his brother and another worman. THAT is when the Ravens released him.
Ha Not a Raven’s fan
Although when they beat the Patriots, I was
Anyway, I should have put in the caveat, no Ravens
Anywhere else, if they want to give him a chance… sure.
Do you mean?
I think it is pretty obvious he has burned bridges. The guy can’t get along with anyone and kind of a kook. I would say sitting on the sidelines pretty much says the NFL has moved on.
Baltimore always comes across a stable and good environment of a franchise. And when they ran him off, it says an awful lot about is character.
I hate the Ravens as rivals, but respect the hell out of their personnel management (outside of drafting WR’s and EDGE’s).
Despite the glaring hole at safety I’d have no interest in adding a locker-room cancer to the Steelers.
Seems like a great fit for the Browns, they love crowded locker rooms full of no-character individuals.
They left out the part where he was caught in bed with his brother and another woman that wasn’t his wife, by his wife.
He’s a real class act, but of course he can maybe play ball, so…you know…who cares that he’s a team wrecker and head case.
You know Ed, you’ve repeated the sordid details on this thread twice. We get it. You don’t like the dude and think he’s morally bankrupt. Perhaps he is.
Question remains, what would he bring to a football team at this point?
That’s because it is important to get the details correct. He wasn’t released after his altercation with Chuck Clark.
What would he bring to a football team? Sub par performance, refusal to learn a playbook, not being a team player, and being an extreme distraction. Baltimore is a pretty accepting team and if you have the entire team hating you and saying you’re no good, there’s something wrong with you.
Earl seems like a pretty good brother to allow his brother to join. He’s willing to share
He’s a great tag-team player.
Hey who wouldn’t want an over the hill, locker room cancer, who hasn’t played in a couple seasons. Give that man a max out contract!
He took $22 million from the Ravens and still wouldn’t get with the program. What GM would risk signing him?
Most he’d get is a one year “prove it” deal or one that has zero guaranteed money beyond year 1.
Who cares. Another tee-hug.
I’ve sat out the last 58 years but I too am ready to play. Just putting it out there in case their is any interest
But, is your timing on point? Otherwise, you can’t be proud.
Ctfu. I hope he does something. Last u heard his wife busted him and his brother tricking. She beat his *** good.
I heard he was in bed with his brother not sure that is a bad thing maybe there was thunder and lightning and his brother was scared. Seems like a good brother to me.
With that said I would be interested to see a workout. If there is a chance he is any good sign him to bet min with a bunch of bonuses. Vet min the only guaranteed.
He didn’t flip off the team it was Pete and Russ. The LOB blamed them for losing the SB. They felt Pete wanted Russ to be MVP so they sent BM to the boonies which was stupid because he was one less threat you had to worry about. If he was back there that pass would have been complete. Play action pass with a good fake and everyone would have bit. Back to Earl he was also wanting an extension and was told no. Seattle doesn’t extend you with multiple years on the roster. He was mad about that. Funny thing is he would say stuff to the media but was fine in the locker room.
There was one thing I don’t for sure remember who said could have been Earl Sherm or Beast Mode. They said Wilson was not black enough. If he could get over all that only Pete would be there. Sherm has got past it so has Lynch. No more history I think it is possible for him to remember the good over the bad. If he is close to his old self we need a Safety since all of them are gone now. Wagner was an honoree in the group. Sucked losing Kam to injury but he is doing good. Call me crazy but I could see it fitting. If people have a problem with his brother getting in his bed if he is scared they could put a rumble board in it. I think that is what they were called.
Might sound silly but Rams would make a lot of sense. They love a big name acquisition, they love a star studded defence and they don’t have many holes on that side of the field but FS is one of the weaker spots. Think Earl Thomas could work considering he’d be playing with former team mate Bobby Wagner and with strong leaders in Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey aswell.
Not to mention he gets to live in LA and has a good chance at winning a super bowl.
Another option could be the Colts. They have cap space, they also have a good enough roster to compete this year. He would fit in well on that defence with Gilmore, Ngakore, Leonard and so on. They’d actually be a really tough defence. Gus Bradley the new DC in Indy worked with Thomas when he was first drafted into the league before becoming HC of the jags and before the Seahawks won the super bowl.
Hey, if Eric Weddle can do it, why not Earl Thomas?
In all seriousness though, I wouldn’t doubt that he can still play, but how effective his play will be might be in question. Athleticism is usually not an issue with these guys, so I do not doubt that he’s in shape. However, there is, as we know, a massive difference between “in shape” and game shape. Earl Thomas was, in my opinion, the most essential piece of the Legion of Boom, and has a good chance to be at least useful.
How that chance translates to production might be a different story, and the biggest issue with him will be his mental state. Fighting teammates and being belligerent with management is bad when you’re a good player. It’s just not acceptable for an average player or someone whose age has limited his productivity.
Because unlike Thomas, Weddle will not only learn the playbook, but also master it, can and will be the captain of the defense, and call the plays on the field like he did with the Ravens.
What we learned about Thomas is that he was a product of the scheme and team he was on. His teammates allowed him to free lance at safety. When he had to fit a new scheme and adhere to it, he flopped and flipped out. When he got called out for being an idiot, he punked out and fought with his teammate.
I agree, I was being facetious. You are correct.
Kam was the leader and the best of the LOB. He was lead by example guy not the talker.
I have on my phone a pic I use as background during football that has the play that knocked the football out of Vernon Davis. He played a series or two after that but then left. He did nothing when he was in there. That hit would be illegal now. I understand protecting the guys but you can’t make everything illegal. Need some of those jaw dropping hits.
Sherm got more attention because he was loud. People hated Sherm but he was usually was smart about it. There were times he was an idiot but most were to get a reaction.