Thomas Hamner
{{Short description|American football player (born 1976)}}
{{Redirect|Thomas Hammer|the Norwegian jurist and politician|Thomas Henrik Hammer}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Thomas Hamner
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| number = 12
| position = Running back
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1976|12|25}}
| birth_place = Tuscaloosa, Alabama, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 0
| weight_lbs = 197
| high_school = Hamilton (OH)
| college = Minnesota (1995–1999)
| draftyear = 2000
| draftround = 6
| draftpick = 171
| pastteams =
- Philadelphia Eagles ({{NFL Year|2000}})
| highlights =
- First-team All-Big Ten (1999)
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 =
| pfr =
}}
Thomas Hamner (born December 25, 1976) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Minnesota Golden Gophers and was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL draft. He was released the following season, before playing in any games, ending his professional career.
Early life
Thomas Hamner was born on December 25, 1976, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He lived most of his childhood in Middletown, Ohio.{{Cite web|last1=Pitman|first1=Michael D.|title=NFL player, long-lost friend reconnect in Middletown|url=https://www.journal-news.com/news/nfl-player-long-lost-friend-reconnect-middletown/SeLwCbZo87qE8tJywBvhAM/|website=journal-news}} He attended high school in Hamilton, Ohio. He originally wanted to be a quarterback. "I looked over and there's this skinny little kid, about 140 pounds, if that," his coach said. "I let him play quarterback for a couple of days, but he had a lousy arm. So I said, 'Son, why don't you try receiver?'"{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85491258/star-tribune/|newspaper=Star Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|author=Craig, Mark|title=Hamner's time|date=October 22, 1999}} {{Open access}} After three weeks at receiver, he tried out at tailback. "I said, 'Hamner, you're a tailback.' My God, he went in there and riddled our daggone first-team defense. The defensive coaches ran up to me after practice and said, 'What in the world is that little kid doing playing receiver?' The rest is history, I guess," said his coach Ed Mignery.
College career
Following high school he earned a scholarship offer from Minnesota. He first gained interest from Ohio State. "Ohio State was the first school to show interest in me, but when it came time for them to talk to me, they made some changes in their assistant coaches," Hamner said.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85491269/star-tribune/|newspaper=Star Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|title=Hamner's time (continued)|author=Craig, Mark|date=October 22, 1999}} {{Open access}} "I don't know if I got lost in the system or if they just didn't want me, but I never heard back from them."
After spending his true freshman year as a redshirt,{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/playerh/hamn00200.html|website=Pro Football Archives|title=Thomas Hamner Stats}} Hamner made his college football debut in September 1996. He finished his first career game, a 30–3 victory over Northeast Louisiana, with over 150 rushing yards, scoring one touchdown.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85495628/star-tribune/|newspaper=Star Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|date=September 8, 1996|title=Gophers 30, Northeast Louisiana 3}} {{Open access}} By the end of the first half, Hamner had already rushed for 109 yards. By late November, Hamner had already rushed for over 850 yards.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85509028/iowa-city-press-citizen/|newspaper=Iowa City Press-Citizen|via=Newspapers.com|date=November 23, 1996|title=Analysis (continued)}} {{Open access}} He led the team in rushing yards for 1996.
Hamner remained a key contributor to the team through his sophomore year. In October, against the Penn State Nittany Lions, he recorded over 150 yards rushing, before a late fumble lost the game.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85495675/centre-daily-times/|newspaper=Centre Daily Times|via=Newspapers.com|date=October 19, 1997|title=Gophers' fumble sets up winning TD|author=Elder, Andy}} {{Open access}} "It was third-and-six. We ran a 28 and it (the hole) just opened up," he said, "I took my focus off the ball and looked at the hole. When I turned back to get it the ball hit my hands and bounced down." Chris Snyder picked up the fumble and Curtis Enis made the game-winning score a few plays later.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85509663/citizens-voice/|newspaper=Citizen's Voice|via=Newspapers.com|date=October 19, 1997|title=Daniels steps up for Lions/Lions (continued)|author=Yanoshak, Ryan}} {{Open access}}
Two weeks after the game-losing fumble, Hamner threatened to leave Minnesota, telling the St. Paul Pioneer Press he would transfer "out of frustration and disappointment."{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85509863/star-tribune/|newspaper=Star Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|date=October 30, 1997|title=Hamner backs of threat to transfer|author=Roe, Jon}} {{Open access}} One day later he announced he would stay with the team. He finished the season with 663 rushing yards, over 200 less than before, but still leading the team.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/thomas-hamner-1.html|title=Thomas Hamner College Stats|website=Sports-Reference.com}}
In week one of the 1998 season, Hamner recorded 137 yards rushing and one touchdown in a 17–14 victory over the Arkansas State Indians.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85495600/star-tribune/|newspaper=Star Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|date=September 12, 1998|title=Nice change of direction|author=Zgoda, Jerry}} {{Open access}} Two weeks later he had another 100-yard game, compiling 128 yards and a touchdown in a 41–14 triumph over Memphis.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85510978/argus-leader/|newspaper=Argus-Leader|via=Newspapers.com|date=September 20, 1998|title=Hamner finds holes for Minnesota as Memphis falls hard}} {{Open access}} Minnesota finished the year with a record of 5–6, as Hamner led the team with 838 rushing yards, scoring four touchdowns.
Hamner would have his best season in his senior year of 1999. By week six he had rushed for 734 yards, following a career-high 184 yards gained in a victory over Illinois.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85491328/star-tribune/|newspaper=Star Tribune|via=Newspapers.com|date=October 17, 1999|title=Hamner just keeps piling up yards at the 'U'|author=Reusse, Patrick; Craig, Mark}} {{Open access}} Against Purdue two weeks later, he amassed 166 yards on 20 carries, scoring two touchdowns.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85495497/journal-and-courier/|newspaper=Journal and Courier|via=Newspapers.com|date=October 31, 1999|title=Hamner enjoys big day against Boilers|author=Lefko, Jim}} {{Open access}}
When Hamner lost on a fumble to Penn State in 1997, he vowed to make amends for it. He did in early November 1999, scoring a late touchdown against the Nittany Lions to win by one point.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85495329/centre-daily-times/|newspaper=Centre Daily Times|via=Newspapers.com|date=November 7, 1999|author=Comer, David|title=Making amends}} {{Open access}}
He finished the season with 1,426 rushing yards on 308 carries, scoring 13 touchdowns in total. His performance earned him first-team All-Big Ten honors.
Professional career
After his senior season at Minnesota, Hamner was selected in the 6th round (171st overall) of the 2000 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.{{Cite web |title=2000 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2000/draft.htm |access-date=2023-03-19 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/2000nfldraft.html|website=Pro Football Archives|title=2000 NFL Draft}} In his first preseason game, against the Cleveland Browns, he played the first three quarters on special teams before getting his first call as running back with 8 minutes remaining. He appeared on two offensive plays, rushing twice for 16 yards.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85495744/the-philadelphia-inquirer/|newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer|via=Newspapers.com|date=August 4, 2000|title=NFL life sweet as candy to graduate of hard times|author=Brewer, Jerry}} {{Open access}} He was released at roster cuts and subsequently signed to the practice squad. He was promoted to the active roster on November 25, one day before their game against the Washington Redskins.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85495873/press-and-sun-bulletin/|newspaper=Press and Sun-Bulletin|via=Newspapers.com|date=November 25, 2000|title=Football (transactions)}} {{Open access}} He was on the active roster for the final few games, but did not play in any of them.
In May 2001, a warrant was issued for his arrest after he failed to appear in court for a hearing on animal cruelty for beating his pit bull.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85495934/philadelphia-daily-news/|newspaper=Philadelphia Daily News|via=Newspapers.com|date=May 11, 2001|title=Eagles player on the run|author=Latty, Yvonne}} {{Open access}} He was released by the Eagles a few days later, ending his professional career.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85495966/statesman-journal/|newspaper=Statesman Journal|via=Newspapers.com|date=May 22, 2001|title=Eagles Release Troubled Back}} {{Open access}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Eagles2000DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamner, Thomas}}
Category:Players of American football from Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Category:Players of American football from Ohio
Category:Sportspeople from Middletown, Ohio
Category:Minnesota Golden Gophers football players