Coming out of Stanford in 2012, defensive back Michael Thomas went undrafted before signing with the San Francisco 49ers. He was seen as a developmental safety for the team, someone who they liked and wanted to keep, but was not ready for regular use at the NFL level. He was stashed on the team’s practice squad for nearly two years.
In December 2013, the Miami Dolphins beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 34-28 in Week 14, but saw special teams contributor and reserve cornerback R.J. Stanford break his leg in the game.