Joe Thomas: Gone Fishin’ » Brats & Beer

April 21, 2007
posted under: Badgers in the NFL, Joe Thomas, NFL Draft

Just one more week to go before the NFL draft, and I’m sure all those top prospects are busy getting themselves to New York for meet-and-greets, hand shaking, nose rubbing and all other manner of league PR stuff. Well, all of them except Joe Thomas.

According to a story this week from NFL.com, the Wisconsin standout tackle has rebuffed repeated invitations from the league to attend the draft day festivities, including a personal e-mail from the commissioner himself. Instead, Thomas is going fishing with his dad on Lake Michigan, just like they do every year.

Thomas is expected to go to the Cardinals with the fifth pick and stands to make a lot of money as pro football player, but he’s willing to give the NFL the brush off to keep up a family tradition and spend some quality time with his father. You have to admire a guy who is that down to earth.

I suppose some pundits out there might say skipping the draft party will hurt his career, but in my book it should raise his prospects. Every team should want players who are more interested in living life and working hard as opposed to getting camera time. Do you think ‘Pacman’ Jones would have gone fishing on draft day?