Joe Thomas, at 55, becomes oldest D-I player ever

Published: Nov 19, 2016 at 09:36 AM

Chase Goodbread

Some walk-ons wait four years for the chance to play in a college football game. South Carolina State RB Joe Thomas, Sr., waited decades. The 55-year-old Thomas, the father of Green Bay Packers LB Joe Thomas, Jr., saw his first career game action with a 3-yard rush Saturday against Savannah State.

Fittingly, the carry came on Senior Day at SCSU.

Sports Illustrated published an extensive feature on Thomas, Sr. on Thursday. According to that story, Thomas' action Saturday made him the oldest player to ever participate in a Division-I game. The NCAA cleared the program's on-again, off-again practice participant to play a couple of weeks ago, according to the Post and Courier. Thomas will have one more chance to play next week in South Carolina State's final game against Bethune-Cookman.

Joe Thomas Jr., played at SCSU from 2010 to 2013. Due injuries Joe Sr., suffered as the result of a car accident, however, the father-son tandem never got the chance to be teammates.

*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter **@ChaseGoodbread*.

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