Thomas demanded respect on the field when lining up against future Hall of Famers, and this thread of guys he paired up against proves it.
This was a battle rooted from their respected divisional rival squads. Harrison, the undrafted player who had a Hall of Fame-caliber career in Pittsburgh, met Thomas twice a season starting in 2007, all the way to their retirements after the 2017 season.
“For me it was great because I was able to take a quick pass set, and then right when James thinks it’s a drop back pass, I’m able to be aggressive and run-block him,” Thomas said.Thomas took what he learned and put it toward his second matchup when playing the Steelers in Week 11. It was a pivotal matchup as the 4-4 Browns looked to stay above .500, while the Steelers were 7-1 with the best record in the division.
Harrison recorded five tackles and zero sacks as the Steelers prevailed, 31-28. But these meetings during Thomas’ rookie year set the tone for their battles in the years to come.During the 2009 season, Allen was establishing himself as one of the best pass rushers in his era. He already won a sack title in 2007 , and was on his way to another productive season with 51 tackles, 14.5 sacks and one safety. He even recorded 22.0 sacks a couple seasons later in 2011.
Another exceptional example occurs at the 33:38 mark, on a second-and-8 early in the second quarter. Once Allen snaps off the line, he attempts to trounce through Thomas, instead ending up having his power used against him. The move by Thomas turned Allen in a full 180 spin, facing forward to watch Lawrence Vickers make the reception from quarterback Brady Quinn.Thomas and Ware became lifelong teammates during their enshrinements into the Hall of Fame on Saturday.
Plays later , on a second-and-13, Thomas can be seen simply padding off Ware just enough for Anderson to complete the 12-yard pass to Braylon Edwards. It’s his balance that keeps Ware on his toes and attempting to straddle around Thomas.
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