Chad Thomas Issues Statement After Serious Injury Scare

Cleveland Browns DE Chad Thomas

After a scary injury that saw him taken off in a stretcher at practice on Monday, defensive end Chad Thomas returned to Cleveland Browns facility from the hospital and is being labeled day-to-day neck sprain.

While still serious, the Browns could let out a sigh of relief after the scary moment stopped practice and a rare quietness took over the facility.

On his Twitter account, Thomas wanted to let everyone know he’s doing good and that his spirits are high.

“Can’t text or call errbody but I’m good,” Thomas wrote. “Put some dirt on that s—.”

Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens told reporters in his press conference that most of the things done during the injury — like immobilizing Thomas, carting him off and taking him to the hospital — were precautionary.

“Anytime something happens like a stinger, or anything dealing with any issues like that, you want to be more cautious than anything and that is what we are doing,” Kitchens said. “You do not want to see your teammate laying there. But again, the protocol from anything like that is sometimes it looks worse than it is, not to make any light of it.”

It gave his teammates a scare and they had to try to get back on track after the injury stopped practice for about five minutes.

“He is one of your guys,” left guard Joel Bitonio said. “Unfortunately, it happens in games and you just kind of pick it back up. It is never easy, but we try to get some more good plays in, try to get some more good periods in and just finish the best we could.”


Chad Thomas — AKA Major Nine — Will Always Have Music to Fall Back on

Thomas was a third-round pick of the Browns last season out of Miami. He did not record any stats last season but had one tackle and one QB hit during Cleveland’s preseason win against the Washington Redskins on Thursday. Thomas played his college ball at the University of Miami.

While the injury will slow down Thomas on the field for a bit, it won’t slow down his second career off of it.

Thomas has a musical alias and is known as “Major Nine.” As Ian Rapoport reported during the draft, he had to convince team’s he was committed to football because his music career was so successful.

Thomas was recently a producer on rapper Rick Ross’ new album “Port of Miami 2.” He produced and provided lyrics for the song, “Running the Streets.

Thomas also worked with Ross in 2017, when he was still a member of the Hurricanes football team.

“I was too happy,” Thomas told The Washington Post of the collab. “It dropped a week after my mama’s birthday, and I wanted to surprise her with it. I couldn’t even wait until the day of the album. I just told my mom I made a beat for Ross, and it’s going to be on his intro. I told my daddy, and he said we’ve gotta print the check stubs and frame that. We’ve gotta go buy the hard copy.

“It made me drop a tear. The song really touched me. It spoke my life. Then to think that I made the beat, just to come from where I’m from in Miami in Liberty City, a lot of people don’t get opportunities like this. When they do, they either mess it up or somebody messes it up for them. I felt blessed for that opportunity.”


Chad Thomas Known as a Feisty Competitor With Browns

Tempers flared early on in training camp as Thomas got into an extended scuffle with tight end Pharaoh Brown. The two got into a shoving match before teammates separated them.

Kitchens made the entire team run gassers as punishment following the fight.

Thomas apparently wasn’t too happy about it. Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal reported that Thomas flipped off a fan who yelled at him, “Come on 92, hustle.”

“Chad Thomas, as you guys see, is a very emotional, passionate guy,” Kitchens said. “I want those guys to play with passion. But he’s also a young guy, so he has to understand and develop a sense of when to move on.”

The Browns continue their preseason against the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday. With his day-to-day status, it’s uncertain if Thomas will be able to be on the field for the exhibition.

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