Earl Thomas passed away on July 4, 2020 at the age of 72. Thomas spent only two seasons in St. Louis, but played a key role in the Cardinals winning NFC East titles in 1974 and 1975. The speedy wide receiver had a career year after being acquired from the Bears when he caught 34 passes for 513 yards and 5 TDs. He followed that up in ’75 by averaging 17.9 yards per catch. Thomas was traded to the Packers in 1976.
Mobile memorial planned for Earl Thomas in Houston
By David Claybourn | Herald-Banner Sports Editor Jul 14, 2020
A mobile memorial tribute is planned for Saturday in Houston for former Greenville standout athlete Earl Thomas.
Thomas, who played for the Greenville Lions, University of Houston Cougars and in the National Football League, died on July 4 at the age of 71 following a short illness.
The tribute is planned from 5 to 7 p.m. on Saturday at entrance 15 of the U of H Alumni Center, 3204 Cullen Blvd. in Houston.
It will be a drive through tribute celebrating Earl’s life. Those attending the tribute are being told to remain in their cars and to follow the processional line.
Displays will shown, celebrating moments in his life as an athlete, businessman and family man.
Earl, who was born on Oct. 4, 1948 in Greenville, was a standout athlete at Carver and Greenville High School before the 6-3, 215-pounder played tight end on three nationally-ranked teams at the University of Houston.
He was selected in the sixth round of the 1971 draft by the Chicago Bears. Thomas played wide receiver in six NFL seasons with the Bears (1971-73), St. Louis Cardinals (1974-75) and Houston Oilers (1976). He caught 106 passes in his NFL career for 1,651 yards and 14 touchdowns and also returned a kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown.
He was one of three brothers from Greenville who wound up playing in the NFL.
Older brother Jimmy, who excelled at Carver High School and then at UT-Arlington, played as a running back for the San Francisco 49ers from 1969-73. Jimmy Thomas died in 2017 at the age of 69.
Younger brother Mike, who earned all-America honors as a running back at Greenville High School and Nevada-Las Vegas, played for the Washington Redskins from 1975-78 and the San Diego Chargers from 1979-80. Mike Thomas was named the NFL Rookie of the Year in 1975. He died in 2019 at the age of 66.
Earl Thomas settled in Houston following his retirement from the NFL, becoming a businessman in the petroleum industry and also coaching youths in track and field.
“He was a really hard worker,” said his nephew Spencer Gilbert, the son of Mike Thomas. “He loved his family. We all miss him. He was overall a good guy. He did a lot with track. He was always helping kids.”
“He was an athlete and he was a leader,” said his sister Cecelia Thomas Barr. “His personality, he could draw people…He touched many a life down in Houston.”
THE BIG RED ZONE 
Earl Thomas (1948-2020)
Earl Thomas passed away on July 4, 2020 at the age of 72. Thomas spent only two seasons in St. Louis, but played a key role in the Cardinals winning NFC East titles in 1974 and 1975. The speedy wide receiver had a career year after being acquired from the Bears when he caught 34 passes for 513 yards and 5 TDs. He followed that up in ’75 by averaging 17.9 yards per catch. Thomas was traded to the Packers in 1976.
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Mobile memorial planned for Earl Thomas in Houston
By David Claybourn | Herald-Banner Sports Editor Jul 14, 2020
A mobile memorial tribute is planned for Saturday in Houston for former Greenville standout athlete Earl Thomas.
Thomas, who played for the Greenville Lions, University of Houston Cougars and in the National Football League, died on July 4 at the age of 71 following a short illness.
The tribute is planned from 5 to 7 p.m. on Saturday at entrance 15 of the U of H Alumni Center, 3204 Cullen Blvd. in Houston.
It will be a drive through tribute celebrating Earl’s life. Those attending the tribute are being told to remain in their cars and to follow the processional line.
Displays will shown, celebrating moments in his life as an athlete, businessman and family man.
Earl, who was born on Oct. 4, 1948 in Greenville, was a standout athlete at Carver and Greenville High School before the 6-3, 215-pounder played tight end on three nationally-ranked teams at the University of Houston.
He was selected in the sixth round of the 1971 draft by the Chicago Bears. Thomas played wide receiver in six NFL seasons with the Bears (1971-73), St. Louis Cardinals (1974-75) and Houston Oilers (1976). He caught 106 passes in his NFL career for 1,651 yards and 14 touchdowns and also returned a kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown.
He was one of three brothers from Greenville who wound up playing in the NFL.
Older brother Jimmy, who excelled at Carver High School and then at UT-Arlington, played as a running back for the San Francisco 49ers from 1969-73. Jimmy Thomas died in 2017 at the age of 69.
Younger brother Mike, who earned all-America honors as a running back at Greenville High School and Nevada-Las Vegas, played for the Washington Redskins from 1975-78 and the San Diego Chargers from 1979-80. Mike Thomas was named the NFL Rookie of the Year in 1975. He died in 2019 at the age of 66.
Earl Thomas settled in Houston following his retirement from the NFL, becoming a businessman in the petroleum industry and also coaching youths in track and field.
“He was a really hard worker,” said his nephew Spencer Gilbert, the son of Mike Thomas. “He loved his family. We all miss him. He was overall a good guy. He did a lot with track. He was always helping kids.”
“He was an athlete and he was a leader,” said his sister Cecelia Thomas Barr. “His personality, he could draw people…He touched many a life down in Houston.”
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