Pierre Thomas (American football)
Encyclopedia
Charles Pierre Thomas Jr. (born December 18, 1984) is an American football
running back
for the New Orleans Saints
in the National Football League
.
, former running back for the Detroit Lions
.
, Reggie Bush
and Aaron Stecker
. After showing star potential in the preseason, Pierre became one of only two rookie free agents to make opening day roster. Quickly becoming a fan favorite as a kick returner, Pierre was anxious to get his shot at running back. And he would, making his first career start on December 30, in his home town of Chicago against the Bears – one of the most feared and respected defenses in the league. On a cold and windy night, with temperatures below freezing, Pierre would run for arguably one of the best performances of his career in front of his family and friends. He had 20 carries for 105 yards and caught 12 passes for 121 yards with an 11 yard touchdown, becoming the first player in New Orleans Saints history to gain more than 100 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving in the same game. Pierre’s 226 total yards from scrimmage inked him into the record books as third-highest total in team history. Through this gutsy performance with two cracked ribs, Thomas earned himself more carries for the following season.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
for the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
.
Early years
Pierre Thomas's first love was baseball and it was not until a year before high school that he picked up football. Thomas played for the Lansing Lions as a youth. Thomas lead Thornton Fractional South High School to the state semifinals as a senior and set school career rushing records of 88 touchdowns and 5,522 yards that also ranked in the top 10 in Illinois state history. Some of his self-taught practice for high school football included running up a steep hill with a backpack full of books on and pushing cars around. He was recruited by the University of Illinois. Pierre's biggest inspiration is his mother. His hero is Barry SandersBarry Sanders
Barry Sanders is a former American football running back who spent all of his professional career with the Detroit Lions in the NFL. Sanders left the game just short of the all-time rushing record...
, former running back for the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
.
College
As a true freshman, Pierre earned his first start following a 49 – 14 loss to the Michigan Wolverines in which he scored the Illini’s only two touchdowns. Pierre was a little banged up after going to battle against a tough Wolverine defense; however, after he learned he would be starting the following week against Minnesota at home, Pierre kept his “war wounds” to himself. Pierre made his first collegiate start against Minnesota on October 25, 2003. He did not play much in the second half because of the leg that was banged up one week prior. On Monday after the Minnesota game, the “burning sensation” in his calf muscle continued and he needed to see a doctor. Turns out, Pierre had to go into immediate surgery to have part of his “left” calf muscle removed…because it was “dead”! The doctor said that he never seen anything like it before. The muscle removed supports the ankle when making a “cut” on the football field. Following a full recovery, Pierre would have to wear the “boot” for the next three years of his career, thus, changing his running style forever. Running with a “2 pound boot” slowed him down and took from his agility, turning Pierre into a more downhill slasher and adding to his already “forward fall.” Pierre concluded his collegiate career at University of Illinois ranked sixth in the school’s history with 2,545 rushing yards; he set a school record with 1,495 kickoff return yards with a 99 yard kick return against Western Michigan on September 18, 2004. He is second in school history with 4,451 all purpose yards. However, Pierre’s most impressive stat might be his average yards per carry of 5.6 over his career.2007 season
Going undrafted in 2007 was not how Thomas had envisioned his entry into the NFL. Regardless, he knew that hard work and determination would be the key to his success. Thomas was competing with a fourth round draft pick for the final spot on the roster in an already heavy backfield which included Deuce McAllisterDeuce McAllister
Dulymus Jenod "Deuce" McAllister is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft...
, Reggie Bush
Reggie Bush
Reginald Alfred "Reggie" Bush II is an American football running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
and Aaron Stecker
Aaron Stecker
Aaron Stecker is a former American football running back. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 1999. He played college football at Western Illinois....
. After showing star potential in the preseason, Pierre became one of only two rookie free agents to make opening day roster. Quickly becoming a fan favorite as a kick returner, Pierre was anxious to get his shot at running back. And he would, making his first career start on December 30, in his home town of Chicago against the Bears – one of the most feared and respected defenses in the league. On a cold and windy night, with temperatures below freezing, Pierre would run for arguably one of the best performances of his career in front of his family and friends. He had 20 carries for 105 yards and caught 12 passes for 121 yards with an 11 yard touchdown, becoming the first player in New Orleans Saints history to gain more than 100 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving in the same game. Pierre’s 226 total yards from scrimmage inked him into the record books as third-highest total in team history. Through this gutsy performance with two cracked ribs, Thomas earned himself more carries for the following season.