| New Orleans Saints | |
|---|---|
| Title | Running backs coach |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1974-11-07)November 7, 1974 (age 51) Port Angeles, Washington, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| High school | Port Angeles (WA) |
| College | Idaho |
| Position | Running back |
| Career history | |
| |
Joel Thomas (born November 7, 1974) is an Americanfootball coach who is therunning backs coach for theNew Orleans Saints of theNational Football League (NFL).
Thomas graduated fromPort Angeles High School in 1993.[1] Following high school, he attended theUniversity of Idaho, where he played as a running back for theIdaho Vandals. He wasredshirted in 1995 for a broken foot, but returned to play for the team. Following what was at the time assumed to be a career ending injury to his knee during a 1997 game against theAir Force Falcons,[2] he ultimately returned once again to play in his senior season. He graduated in 1998,[1] and set the Vandals career records of 3,929rushing yards, 51 rushingtouchdowns and 765 rush attempts.[3] The records still stand as of 2019.[1]
Over his college career he was twice selected as a first-team All-Big West running back, and in 1998 he was named Big West Player of the Year. He helped lead the Vandal to a victory overSouthern Miss that year'sHumanitarian Bowl, receiving the Humanitarian Award following the game. He also received offers to play in theSenior Bowl and theEast-West Shrine Game. Thomas graduated from the University of Idaho with abachelor's degree in public communications.[3]
Thomas started his coaching career in2000 as agraduate assistant coach atPurdue. He remained with Purdue through2001, before assuming the running backs coach position withLouisville from2002 to2003. He was then the co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach for his alma mater, the University of Idaho,[4] between2004 and2005, before returning to Purdue as the running backs coach from2006 to2008. Thomas then worked as the running backs coach for theWashington Huskies[1] between2009 and2012, where he coached a 1000-yard rusher in each season.[5] He was also named associate head coach for offensive responsibilities during the 2012 season.[4]
In2013, Thomas became the running backs coach forArkansas, a position he held through the2014 season.[5] Upon his hiring, Razorbacks head coachBret Bielema stated that, “He excelled at the position as a player and has demonstrated a remarkable ability to connect with his student-athletes and pass his knowledge on to them. He also brings a strong background of recruiting inTexas andDallas specifically, which is a valuable area for us to have a presence.”[3] During his final year with the Razorbacks, Arkansas defeated theTexas Longhorns in the2014 Texas Bowl.[4]
In 2015, Thomas joined the coaching staff of theNew Orleans Saints as the running backs coach,[6] having previously done atraining camp internship with the Saints in 2012. He had also held a training camp internship with thePittsburgh Steelers in 2008.[7] Between 2015 and 2018, the Saints led the NFL in total team rushing touchdowns (82).[1]
Thomas missed the Saints' week 17 game on January 3, 2021, against theCarolina Panthers due toCOVID-19 protocols.[8]
On January 19, 2024, Thomas was hired by theNew York Giants to serve as the team's running backs coach.[9]
On February 18, 2025, theNew Orleans Saints hired Thomas to serve as the team's running backs coach, a role he previously held from 2015 to 2023.[10][11]
Thomas is a member of the Port Angeles High School Athletic Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the University of Idaho Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008.[1]
Thomas is married to his wife Ebbie Thomas, with whom he has two children.[1]