:Stan Thomas (American football)
{{Short description|American football player (born 1968)}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Stan Thomas
| number = 60, 70
| position = Offensive tackle
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1968|10|28|mf=y}}
| birth_place = El Centro, California, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 5
| weight_lb = 295
| high_school = Central Union
(El Centro, California)
| college = Texas
| draftyear = 1991
| draftround = 1
| draftpick = 22
| pastteams =
- Chicago Bears ({{NFL Year|1991|1992}})
- Atlanta Falcons (1993)*
- Houston Oilers ({{NFL Year|1993|1994}})
| highlights =
- Second-team All-American (1990)
- First-team All-SWC (1990)
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 56
| statlabel2 = Games started
| statvalue2 = 7
| pfr = ThomSt20
}}
Stan Thomas (born October 28, 1968) is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for four seasons for the Chicago Bears and Houston Oilers from 1991 to 1994, and prior to that played four years of college football at the University of Texas.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20100218043046/http://databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=THOMASTA01 Stan Thomas]}}. databasefootball.com
College career
He was a 3-year starter as tackle, including his freshman year, when the Longhorns won the last Bluebonnet Bowl game ever in 1987, but did not play his sophomore year. In his senior year at Texas, he was 1st-team All Southwest Conference and a 2nd Team All-American on a team that won the Southwest Conference Championship and played for the National Championship in the Cotton Bowl. He took heat for predicting a win and calling Miami arrogant, especially after Texas was beaten soundly.{{cite news |title=Texas' Thomas Predicts Rout of 'Arrogant' UM |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/1990/12/28/texas-thomas-predicts-rout-of-arrogant-um/ |access-date=21 May 2024 |newspaper=South Florida Sun Sentinel |date=28 December 1990}}
Professional career
He was selected by the Bears in the first round of the 1991 NFL draft.{{Cite web |title=1991 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1991/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-07 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} During the preseason before his rookie year he suffered both knee and shoulder injuries, but he was an opening day starter anyway due to a season-ending injury to Jim Covert, though he was benched later in the season with a foot injury.{{cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=Robert J. |title=Bears offense coming up empty |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1991/08/12/Bears-offense-coming-up-empty/2239681969600/ |access-date=21 May 2024 |work=UPI |date=12 August 1991}}
Shortly after his rookie season Thomas was shot in the head in a drive-by shooting in San Diego and required surgery to remove bullet fragments from his skull.{{cite news |title=Chicago Bears lineman Thomas wounded in drive-by shooting |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1992/02/09/Chicago-Bears-lineman-Thomas-wounded-in-drive-by-shooting/8341697611600/ |access-date=21 May 2024 |date=9 February 1992}} He recovered enough to return to the Bears for the 1992 season, but the injury and the event caused a loss of confidence that sent him into drinking, partying and careless spending.{{cite news |title=Bust not Broken |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2005/04/24/bust-not-broken/ |access-date=21 May 2024 |work=Chicago Tribune |date=24 April 2005}}
Going into the 1993 season, Thomas was arrested for drunk driving and then traded to the Atlanta Falcons for a conditional middle-round draft choice after refusing to report for camp and demanding a trade.{{cite news |title=Bears send Thomas to Falcons |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1993/08/16/Bears-send-Thomas-to-Falcons/3044745473600/ |access-date=21 May 2024 |date=16 August 1993}} He was waived by the Falcons a week later after he refused to restructure his contract. He was then signed by the Oilers as a backup. During that time he was carjacked at gunpoint, his parents were sentenced to prison for tax fraud and he had to pay the IRS $300,000 to settle his own tax issues.
Prior to the 1995 season, he suffered a hamstring injury and then was involved in a fight with rookie center Hicham El-Mashtoub that left him with stitches and got him kicked off the team, ending his career.{{cite news |title=Fight Nets Suspension by Oilers |work=AP |date=17 September 1995}}
He is considered to be one of the worst draft picks by the Chicago Bears.{{Cite web |title=Chicago Bears: Best and worst draft picks |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/chicago-bears-best-and-worst-draft-picks-0ap1000000160145 |access-date=2023-08-15 |website=NFL.com |language=en-US}}
Personal life
In 2004, he was arrested and charged with rape and sodomy in San Diego County, but the DA decided not to file charges.{{cite news |title=Former Bears Tackle Charges with Rape, sodomy |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2004/06/30/former-bears-tackle-charged-with-rape-sodomy/ |access-date=21 May 2024 |work=Chicago Tribune |date=30 June 2004}}
He is the older brother of All-American and 1st round NFL pick Robert Thomas
References
{{reflist}}
{{1991 NFL Draft}}
{{Bears1991DraftPicks}}
{{BearsFirstPick}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, Stan}}
Category:Players of American football from Imperial County, California
Category:American football offensive tackles
Category:Chicago Bears players