The Hall of Fame might want to start preparing: Joe Thomas likely will be arriving in five years.
Thomas, 33, announced Wednesdsay that he will retire after 11 standout seasons with the Cleveland Browns.
"This was an extremely difficult decision, but the right one for me and my family," Thomas said. "Playing in the NFL has taken a toll on my body and I can no longer physically compete at the level I need to."
"From the moment I was drafted, the city embraced me in a way that I could never fully describe.