Joe Thomas Says He's Contemplated Retirement, Has Auditioned for TV Jobs

Cleveland Browns left tackle Joe Thomas said Tuesday he's contemplated retirement and has also auditioned for television jobs this offseason, according to Tony Grossi of ESPN.com.

"It’s difficult," Thomas said of deciding whether to continue playing in the National Football League.        

Thomas, who was speaking at the National Football Foundation Annual Awards, "told WKYC's Dave Chudowsky at the banquet that he hasn't been offered any broadcasting jobs yet, but that he's been 'putting himself in front of the decision-makers' and said 'the end is coming sooner than later,' according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.

Andrew Marchand of the New York Post reported Monday that Thomas has auditioned for both Fox and Fox Sports 1 and went through "the car wash" at ESPN as well, adding that the veteran lineman was "particularly impressive" in his auditions at Fox.

Thomas remains undecided on his future, with Jason Gibbs of ESPN.com noting he wasn't "leaning one way or the other but was "trying to get something decided before free agency" March 14.

"It's kind of like picking a college. One day you think it's this school; the next it's another," he told Chudowsky.

It isn't the first time Thomas has publicly hinted he might retire.

"Had a lot of time to think and spend some time with the family but not ready definitively to make a decision one way or the other just yet," he said in January, per Tom Withers of the Associated Press. "Really for me, my decision is just going to come down to do I feel like I'm healthy enough to survive another season?"

Thomas, 33, didn't miss a single snap in his career before tearing his triceps in October. He's consistently been an elite left tackle since the Browns selected him at No. 3 overall in the 2007 draft.

He's under contract through the 2018 season, holding a $14.3 million cap hit, per Spotrac. The Browns would almost assuredly be happy to absorb the cost to keep the veteran in place to protect the blind side, especially if they draft a young quarterback in this April's draft.