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“I’d Broken Down”: Browns Legend Joe Thomas Explains Why He Refused to Leave Cleveland Despite Super Bowl Drought

One team, 10 years, yet former Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Joe Thomas could not win a Super Bowl. Does he regret not lifting the Lombardi? Definitely. But not enough for him to leave the Browns and seek opportunities outside of…

By Soheli Tarafdar · Essentially Sports

Published: Saturday, 31 October 2026 at 2:01 AM

Key Things to Know

Joe Thomas explained he refused to demand a trade from Cleveland because he wanted to build something special there.
Peyton Manning personally called Thomas in 2015 to recruit him to the Denver Broncos before their Super Bowl win.
Thomas declined to force a trade with Browns management and chose to stay loyal to the franchise.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Former Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Joe Thomas revealed why he never requested a trade despite never winning a Super Bowl during his career. Speaking on The Dan Patrick Show and the Bussin' With The Boys podcast, Thomas explained that he took pride in trying to build something meaningful in Cleveland and believed winning a title elsewhere would not have held the same personal value.

Thomas recalled that during the 2015 NFL season, Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning personally called to recruit him ahead of the trade deadline. Although Denver asked Thomas to force a trade via the front office, he declined to demand a move, remaining with Cleveland until his retirement in March 2018.

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