Clendon Thomas, a College Football Hall of Fame inductee who was named to an NFL Pro Bowl as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers, died Monday.
He was 90 years old.
Thomas was an All-America running back for the University of Oklahoma in the 1950s, a member of two consensus national championship teams. He transitioned to defense in the NFL, most notably with the Steelers.
After getting drafted by the Los Angeles Rams and playing four seasons there, Thomas played 96 games for the Steelers from 1962-68. He totaled 23 interceptions in that time, including eight in 1963 while earning Pro Bowl and second-team AP NFL All Pro honors.
In 2007, Thomas was named to the Steelers’ official “Legends Team” of stars from the franchise prior to 1970. The organization created the team as part of its 75th anniversary.
“Clendon Thomas was one of the great standard-bearers of Oklahoma football and a cornerstone of one of the most legendary teams our game has ever seen,” National Football Foundation chairman Archie Manning said in a prepared statement. “His excellence on the field, combined with his integrity and leadership off it, exemplified what it means to be a College Football Hall of Famer. He leaves behind a legacy that will endure. We are deeply saddened to learn of his passing.”
