Dave Thomas (cornerback)

For the tight end, see David Thomas (American football).

Dave Thomas

Dave Thomas with a student at Miami Beach Senior High holding his Beach High Hall of Fame plaque
No. 41
Position:	Cornerback
Personal information
Date of birth:	(1968-08-25) August 25, 1968
Place of birth:	Miami, Florida
Height:
Weight:
Career information
High school:	Miami Beach Senior
College:	Tennessee
NFL draft:	1993 / Round: 8 / Pick: 203
Career history
Dallas Cowboys (1993–1994) Jacksonville Jaguars (1995–1999) New York Giants (2000–2001) *Inactive and/or offseason member only
Roster status:	Retired
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl champion (XXVIII) Ed Block Courage Award (1997)
Career NFL statistics
Games Played: 130 Games Started: 53 Interceptions: 9 Player stats at NFL.com
Player stats at PFR

David Garfield Thomas (born August 25, 1968) is a former professional American football cornerback who played nine seasons in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the New York Giants. He played college football at the University of Tennessee and was drafted in the eighth round of the 1993 NFL Draft.

Early years

Thomas attended Miami Beach Senior High School. He later moved on to Butler Community College, where he became one of the top cornerbacks in junior college. He transferred to the University of Tennessee where after playing 12 games in 1990, he spent two seasons out of football but stayed at the school and graduated.

Professional career

Dallas Cowboys

Even though he was out of football for two years, the Dallas Cowboys selected him in the eight round of the 1993 NFL Draft. During his time with the team he was one of the tallest cornerbacks in the NFL and showed promise playing special teams and in some of the nickel packages. He also was a part of the Super Bowl XXVIII winning team.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars selected him from the Cowboys roster in the 1995 NFL Expansion Draft.

He became the starting left cornerback after replacing Vinnie Clark in the fifth game of the 1996 season, but in the ninth game while playing against the Cincinnati Bengals, he sustained a fractured left femur while covering an onside kick. Although he regained his starter job in 1997, it has been speculated that he was never the same player after his injury. That season he started 16 games, registered a career-high 88 tackles, along with two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. The next year he started 12 games, recorded 69 tackles, a team-leading 4 forced fumbles, one interception and one fumble recovery.

In 1999, he was relegated to backup rookie Fernando Bryant and playing in the nickel defense, finishing with 15 tackles, 2 interceptions, 4 passes defensed, 18 special teams tackles, one punt block and one forced fumble on special teams.

New York Giants

On April 11, 2000, he signed as a free agent with the New York Giants to play special teams and in the nickel defense, but was named the starter when Conrad Hamilton was injured and later waived. He was a part of the Super Bowl XXXV team.

In 2001, he was replaced as the starter at left cornerback with Will Allen. He was released on March 1, 2002.

External links

• Thomas a Giant Find
• Giant step for ex-Jags
• Thomas recovers poise on corner