Vol. 4 No. 1
The Unsung Hero After a tremendously strong rookie season with the woeful Houston Oilers, former Texas A&M star running back Rodney Thomas probably deserved a pat on the back. Instead, the Oilers basically extended him a seat on the bench. Thomas, who rushed for 947 yards as a rookie in 1995, quickly went from "the man" to just another one of the back-up guys when the Oilers selected 1995 Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George with their No. 1 pick in the draft. George, the former Ohio State superstar, immediately stepped into the spotlight, while Thomas was pushed out of the starting lineup. That move probably would have troubled and tormented most players in Thomas’ position. But he took the news as if he were taking a pitch from the quarterback — in full stride. "I think too many times guys in this league get too caught up with being ‘the man’ and worrying about who is the starter," Thomas recently said from the Oilers/Titans training facility in Tennessee. "Sure, everybody would like to start, but it takes more than just the 22 starters to make a team. "You can either dwell on what you lost or focus on the role you’re supposed to play. For me, it was far more beneficial to concentrate on what I could do to help the team. I didn’t lose any sleep over not being the starter." Instead, Thomas rested easily, knowing that he had been in a similar situation before. And he had still managed to thrive. "I think my experience at Texas A&M definitely prepared me for the situation here," said Thomas, who rushed for more than 3,000 yards for the Aggies from 1991-94. "When I first went to Texas A&M, I never had any illusions of being the running back. Greg Hill and I alternated (for the first three years of Thomas’ A&M career), and that turned out to be a very good situation for the team. I was comfortable with that role, and it helped me in terms of understanding that you don’t necessarily have to be the full-time starter to be a major contributor to the team." That unselfish attitude has long made Thomas, 25, one of the most popular and respected players on any roster he’s been a part of, regardless of whether it’s been on the high school, collegiate or professional level. Thomas enjoyed a stellar career at Groveton High School, leading the Indians to two Class 2A state titles, while gaining 8,441 yards (third best in national high school history at the time) and scoring 115 touchdowns. As a senior at Groveton, Thomas rushed for an amazing total of 3,701 yards. And when Thomas arrived at Texas A&M in 1991, he wasted little time in making an immediate impact. He rushed for almost 300 yards as a freshman and then compiled remarkably consistent rushing totals of 856, 996 and 868 yards in his final three seasons at A&M to become only the fourth Aggie to rush from more than 3,000 career yards. He was a two-time, consensus All-Southwest Conference selection and his 45 career touchdowns tied Darren Lewis for the most in Texas A&M history. During Thomas’ career at A&M, the Aggies led the Southwest Conference in rushing four consecutive seasons and established two school records for most points in a season. And an A&M team with Rodney Thomas on the roster never lost a game at Kyle Field and never lost to an SWC opponent (28-0-1). "We had some very good teams and some good times while I was at A&M," Thomas said. "But probably more than all the wins or championships or anything else, I remember the good people at Texas A&M." Likewise, A&M fans, former teammates and former students probably most fondly remember Thomas for all the intangible characteristics he brought to the team and the school. Thomas was a great football player at A&M. But he was an even better person. An active member of Aggie Athletes Involved, Thomas was awarded the SWC American Airlines Spirit Award and was honored by his teammates as the 1994 winner of the Aggie Heart Award, the most coveted honor given to an A&M football player each year. He was never a vocal leader, but his hard-nosed, bullish running style on the field and his tireless work ethic and community involvement off the field made him a role model in every sense. "I’ve always felt like I have been very blessed," Thomas said. "God has given me a lot of abilities and countless opportunities. I’ve tried to give back and conduct myself in a manner that would make Him proud." Rest assured, Thomas always has done just that. And even as his on-the-field role has diminished with the Oilers, Thomas has maintained an upbeat, positive outlook that has been a welcome reprieve for a franchise that hasn’t made the playoffs in years. After being drafted by the Oilers in third round in 1995 (89th overall with a pick obtained from the Vikings in a trade for quarterback Warren Moon), Thomas quickly made a name for himself. As a rookie, he was one of 19 players in the AFC to finish with 1,000 or more combined yards from scrimmage (1,151 total; 947 rushing and 204 receiving). He also had two 100-yard rushing games in 1995, and at the time, his rushing total was the second-highest rookie mark in Oiler history — ranking only behind some guy named Earl Campbell in 1978. "It was a good start," Thomas said of his rookie season in which he started 10 games. "I was thankful for the opportunity to come in and play as a rookie." But after that strong rookie season, the Oilers used the No. 1 pick in the draft to take George. As a result, Thomas’ rushing attempts, yards and playing time dwindled considerably. In 1996, Thomas carried just 49 times for 151 yards. And in ’97, he compiled 310 rushing yards on 67 carries. This year, as the Oilers made a push toward the playoffs, Thomas was reduced to just 24 carries for 100 yards — both career lows. Still, Thomas remains upbeat and — no surprise here — unselfish. "I’ve never been a guy who got all worked up about numbers and stats," Thomas said. "I’ve got a job to do, and I go out there and do my best every day. I can always deal with any situation as long as I know I’ve done all that’s within my power. So, I go out every day, work hard in practice and prepare myself for whatever the team needs for me to do. Then I go home with peace of mind." Now that the season’s over, Thomas is going home to Groveton. Although he says he likes the outdoors atmosphere of Tennessee, Thomas says there’s no place like home. "I’m still a country boy at heart, and I love going back to Groveton, where I can do some fishing and just relax," Thomas said. "Being at home and being out in the country are in my blood." Thomas also still has Texas A&M in his blood, although he doesn’t have the opportunity to follow the Aggies during the season as much as he would like. "I don’t know the personality of the team, because I just don’t get that much information on A&M here in Tennessee," Thomas said. "But it’s one of those deals where I always make sure to find out what the score was of the A&M game. I have some special memories of my time at Texas A&M that I’ll never forget." The feeling is definitely mutual, Rodney. |
