Joe Thomas, the former Cleveland Browns offensive lineman, is barely recognizable from his playing days after dropping 50 pounds and shaving off his signature beard.
Thomas, who wore the Browns uniform for eleven years and played a record-breaking 10,363 consecutive snaps for the franchise, saw his professional career end in 2017 when he suffered a torn tricep in his left arm during Cleveland’s 0-16 season.
Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023, Thomas has undergone an incredible body transformation since retiring in 2018. This article explores the remarkable journey of Joe Thomas’ weight loss and his new life after football.
Joe Thomas Weight Loss: A Drastic Change in Diet and Lifestyle
After retiring, Joe Thomas was eager to lose weight and revealed he dropped roughly 50 pounds in the months following his final season. During his playing days, Thomas hit the 312-pound mark and had to consume between 6,000 and 7,000 calories daily to maintain his size.
“I was constantly on all sorts of anti-inflammatories and medicines to deal with the pain,” he told GQ. “Trying to keep that weight on meant eating a lot of crap. I’m not really naturally a huge guy, so to be 300 pounds, I was eating 6,000, 7,000 calories a day.”
Thomas explained that the fix was simple: “You just don’t eat until you feel like you’re gonna throw up at every meal and all of a sudden the weight falls right off.” By drastically reducing his caloric intake, Thomas achieved a much leaner frame.
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Embracing a New Hobby and Career
In addition to changing his diet, Joe Thomas became a keen swimmer, incorporating high-intensity workouts by swimming laps regularly. The ten-time NFL Pro Bowler joined US Masters Swimming and found a new way to stay in shape despite his five knee surgeries.
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“I wanted to lose weight. I wanted to find a way to stay in shape,” Thomas said in 2019. “I needed something that had no impact on my joints, so I decided to start swimming again. Now I swim for 30 minutes two or three times a week, and I feel great when I’m done.”
Alongside his physical transformation, Thomas also shaved off his hair and beard, completing one of the most impressive NFL transformations fans have ever seen. He regularly showcases his new look as an analyst for the NFL Network, appearing on pre-game and post-game Thursday Night Football shows.
Since 2024, Thomas has been coaching the Munich Ravens, a German franchise in the European League of Football (ELF), continuing to inspire with his commitment to health and fitness.