Joe Thomas on loyalty to struggling Browns before Hall of Fame induction: 'It was always important to me'

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There are many words to describe Cleveland Browns legend and Class of 2023 Hall of Famer Joe Thomas's career in the NFL, but there is one that stands out above the rest: loyal.

For 11 seasons, Thomas was the Browns' left tackle, and despite the team never making the playoffs during that span from 2007 to 2017, he remained in Cleveland.

Thomas was a six-time first-team All Pro and 10-time Pro Bowl tackle during his time with the Browns. So, you'd understand why teams inquired about Thomas's services during his career. 

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Joe Thomas of the Cleveland Browns runs onto the field prior to the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at FirstEnergy Stadium on Dec. 14, 2014, in Cleveland. (Jason Miller/Getty Images)

But loyalty is something that Thomas told Fox News Digital was instilled in him at a young age, and it carried over to sports.

"I think it was always important to me," Thomas said. "It was a value that my parents taught me when I was a kid – the importance of loyalty to your family, your community, your faith, your church, your friends. To me, it always carried over to sports, too, because I grew up in the early ‘90s watching football. There really wasn’t a lot of player movement."

DARRELLE REVIS, JOE THOMAS HIGHLIGHT PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2023

"Just being able to cheer for a team that had a player kind of his entire career. I love that as a fan, and I think there’s a nostalgic part of me that still appreciates that and loves that," he continued.

Today in sports, let alone the NFL, loyalty to franchises hasn't been the same. And as Thomas mentioned, it isn't just the