Earl Thomas Rumors: Texans Players Lobbied Against Signing Safety to Contract

Seven-time Pro Bowler Earl Thomas sat out the entire 2020 season after being released by the Baltimore Ravens, though the decision not to play may have been made for him by some of his fellow players. 

Per Michael-Shawn Dugar, Jayson Jenks, Mike Sando and Jeff Zrebiec The Athletic, the Houston Texans were a team with interest in signing Thomas early in the season before their game against the Ravens in Week 2. 

"Players from the two teams talked about Thomas after the game, and when word leaked that Houston had interest, Texans players reached out to then-coach Bill O'Brien and the front office to tell them they didn't want to play with Earl Thomas," the report said.

Thomas was released by the Baltimore Ravens on Aug. 23, two days after he was involved in an altercation with teammate Chuck Clark during practice. 

"We have terminated S Earl Thomas' contract for personal conduct that has adversely affected the Baltimore Ravens," the Ravens said in their official statement.

Per ESPN's Jamison Hensley, Thomas punched Clark after the two were involved in an argument stemming from a busted coverage in training camp. 

Hensley noted the day after Thomas' confrontation with Clark that he posted a since-deleted video on Twitter with this caption: "A mental error on my part. A busted coverage that I tried to explain calmly [met] with built-up aggression turned into me getting into it with a teammate."

According to The Athletic's report, "several" Ravens players told head coach John Harbaugh and general manager Eric DeCosta "they didn't want Thomas back in the building."

Baltimore signed Thomas to a four-year, $55 million contract in March 2019 after spending the first nine years of his career with the Seattle Seahawks. 

Thomas was once regarded as the best safety in the NFL during his peak with the Seahawks. He was drafted by the organization with the 14th overall pick in the 2010 NFL draft out of the University of Texas. 

A key member of the vaunted Seahawks' "Legion of Boom" secondary, Thomas was named to the All-Pro first team in three consecutive years from 2012-14. He helped the franchise win Super Bowl XLVIII in February 2014.