View source for Pat Thomas (defensive back)

{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1954)}}
{{about|the former NFL defensive back|the Buffalo Bills linebacker|Pat Thomas (linebacker)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| number      = 27
| position    = [[Cornerback]]
| birth_date  = {{birth date and age|1954|09|1}}
| birth_place = [[Plano, Texas]], U.S.
| height_ft   = 5
| height_in   = 9
| weight_lbs  = 183
| high_school = [[Plano Senior High School|Plano]] (Plano, Texas)
| college     = [[Texas A&M Aggies football|Texas A&M]]
| draftyear   = 1976
| draftround  = 2
| draftpick   = 39
| pastteams   =
* [[Los Angeles Rams]] ({{NFL Year|1976}}–{{NFL Year|1982}})
| highlights  =
* First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1980 All-Pro Team|1980]])
* 2× Second-team All-Pro ([[1978 All-Pro Team|1978]], [[1980 All-Pro Team|1980]])
* 2× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[1979 Pro Bowl|1978]], [[1981 Pro Bowl|1980]])
* 2× Consensus [[All-American]] ([[1974 College Football All-America Team|1974]], [[1975 College Football All-America Team|1975]])
* 2× First-team All-[[Southwest Conference|SWC]] ([[1974 All-Southwest Conference football team|1974]], [[1975 All-Southwest Conference football team|1975]])
| statlabel1  = [[Interception]]s
| statvalue1  = 26
| statlabel2  = [[Fumble|Fumble recoveries]]
| statvalue2  = 7
| statlabel3  = [[Touchdown|Defensive TDs]]
| statvalue3  = 1
| pfr         = ThomPa00
|pastcoaching=* [[Houston Gamblers]] ({{USFL Year|1983}})<br/>Defensive assistant
* [[Houston Cougars football|Houston]] (1985–1989)<br/>Defensive backs coach
* [[Houston Oilers]] ({{NFL Year|1990}}–{{NFL Year|1992}})<br/>Defensive backs coach
* [[Indianapolis Colts]] ({{NFL Year|1993}}–{{NFL Year|2000}})<br/>Defensive backs coach
* [[Buffalo Bills]] ({{NFL Year|2001}}–{{NFL Year|2006}})<br/>Defensive backs/cornerbacks coach}}

'''Patrick Shane Thomas''' (born September 1, 1954) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[cornerback]] for the [[Los Angeles Rams]] of the [[National Football League]] (NFL). He also played at [[running back]] and [[placekicker]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}}

==Early life==
Thomas was born in [[Plano, Texas]]. He attended [[Plano Senior High School|Plano High School]] where he played on the 1971 state championship team.

==College career==
Thomas attended [[Texas A&M University]].<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.nfl.com/player/patthomas/2527276/profile| title= Pat Thomas |publisher= NFL Enterprises LLC |access-date= September 6, 2012}}</ref> He was an [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] player at Texas A&M University.

==Professional career==
Thomas was drafted by the [[Los Angeles Rams]] in the 2nd round (39th overall) of the 1976 NFL Draft.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/T/ThomPa00.htm|title= Pat Thomas|publisher= Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date= September 6, 2012}}</ref> He played in the [[National Football League|NFL]] for the Los Angeles Rams from 1976 to 1982. He was twice named an [[Pro Bowl|All-Pro]] selection, in 1978 and 1980.

Thomas began his coaching career with the [[Houston Gamblers]] of the [[United States Football League]] in 1983. In 1985, Thomas became a coach for the [[University of Houston]]. He served in this position until 1989. He then moved to the [[National Football League]] to be a coach of the [[Houston Oilers]] until 1992. From 1993 to 2000, Thomas was the defensive backs coach of the [[Indianapolis Colts]].

In 2001, Thomas was named as the defensive backs/conerbacks coach for the [[Buffalo Bills]]. As of 2006, he was no longer in that position.

==Life after the NFL==
Thomas started coaching at [[St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute]] in Buffalo New York in 2006. One student of specific note to Thomas was [[Naaman Roosevelt]], who went on to break the record for most touchdown passes in a single season in western New York, and to play receiver at the University of Buffalo. He is the Father of Heather McCarthy, Patrick Thomas Jr., Tamara Thomas and Joshua Thomas.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
 <!-- for current and future use if material is uploaded -->
* [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/T/ThomPa00.htm Pro-Football-Reference.com]

{{1974 College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{1975 NCAA Division I FBS College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{Los Angeles Rams 1976 draft navbox}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, Pat}}
[[Category:1954 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:All-American college football players]]
[[Category:American football cornerbacks]]
[[Category:American football running backs]]
[[Category:American football placekickers]]
[[Category:Buffalo Bills coaches]]
[[Category:Houston Cougars football coaches]]
[[Category:Houston Oilers coaches]]
[[Category:Indianapolis Colts coaches]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Rams players]]
[[Category:National Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:Texas A&M Aggies football players]]
[[Category:Houston Gamblers coaches]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Plano, Texas]]