J. T. Thomas

James Thomas Jr. (born April 22, 1951) is a former American football defensive back in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers 24th overall in the 1973 NFL draft. He played college football at Florida State. Thomas played for the Steelers between 1973 and 1981, then for the Denver Broncos in 1982.

Thomas attended Lanier High School in Macon. After playing at Florida State, Thomas was the Steelers' first-round selection (24th overall) in the 1973 NFL draft. That year, Thomas played in all 14 regular-season games and in the Steelers' only playoff game. He recorded one interception that season.

In 1974 and 1975, the Steelers won back-to-back Super Bowls. In 1974, Thomas picked up a career-best five interceptions and he scored a touchdown on a fumble recovery. Thomas was named to the Pro Bowl after a 1976 season in which he collected two interceptions and a fumble recovery. In 1978, he sat out the season due to a blood disorder known as Boeck's sarcoid.

During his time in Pittsburgh, Thomas played alongside cornerback Mel Blount. NFL.com named Thomas and Blount the sixth-best cornerback combination of all time.

During the 1982 preseason, Thomas was traded to the Denver Broncos for an initially undisclosed draft slot.

Thomas has lived in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, since the 1970s. Partnering with former Steeler Larry Brown in the late 1980s, Thomas opened an Applebee's restaurant in the Monroeville area. In 2009, he opened a Southern restaurant known as Red, Hot & Blue in Homestead, Pennsylvania.