“The greatest ability is your dependability.” (Bobby Jones)
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You’ve no doubt heard of NFL players like Barry Sanders and Tom Brady. They are all-time greats.
But have you heard of Joe Thomas? He is also an all-time great. In 2023, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
In football, the guys who score touchdowns are recognized and rewarded. However, it’s important to remember the guys who make those touchdowns possible. Those big guys up front in the trenches protecting the quarterback and creating holes for the running backs are vital to the success of a team.
Joe Thomas was one of those guys.
JJ Birden played 9 years in the NFL as a Wide Receiver after a stand out career as a star track athlete at the University of Oregon, 
Keith Lipscomb has been at ESPN.com for 20 years. He is currently the Senior Editor for Fantasy Football. He has served many roles through the years, including editor, writer, on-air talent and podcast host for the ESPN Fantasy editorial team. He works closely with the Fantasy Focus Football 06010 podcast that is hosted by Matthew Berry, Field Yates, and Stephania Bell. This podcast is regularly listed among Apple’s Top-100 most downloaded podcasts. Keith has been an editor for Sports Nation and one of ESPN’s NBA researchers. He writes an article every year prior to the NCAA Tournament that outlines all the information that you need to know for completing your March Madness brackets. He was a star baseball player and communications major at Hiram (OH) College prior to going into journalism full-time.