Joe Thomas Was Offered Full-Time Coaching Job by Browns, Todd Monken Confirms

Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken revealed to reporters Thursday that he offered Browns legend and Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive tackle Joe Thomas a full-time coaching job back in January when the ex-Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator got hired.

"When I was interviewing for the job, and when I got the job, I had reached out to Joe. Joe obviously played for [Browns offensive line coach George Warhop] as well, and I said, 'Hey, we got a spot for you if you want to help us coach.'

"And he said, 'I love to coach, but I don't think I want to commit to an everyday contract.'

"So I said, 'That's fine. Any time you want to come out here and help our guys, you're more than welcome, and we certainly would welcome that.'"

Thomas played 11 seasons with the Browns, who selected the former Wisconsin star with the third overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. He earned 10 Pro Bowl selections and six First-Team All-Pro honors before being inducted into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot as a member of the Class of 2023.

Thomas has kept busy in his professional post-playing career life, namely in the media. He serves as an analyst for NFL Network, and features on their pregame and postgame Thursday Night Football shows.

Thomas also does media work for the Browns. That was most recently evidenced in an interview Thomas did with rookie left tackle Spencer Fano, who was understandably awestruck by him and said Thomas was one of his "heroes."

Thomas is also an analyst for select NFL games on the Westwood One radio network.

While Thomas is keeping busy on the media side, the door is seemingly wide open for him to help the Browns out as much as he'd like. He'd have a pupil eager to learn from him in Fano, at bare minimum.