Stanford Legend Currently with New York Jets Playing With a Purpose

Dylan Grausz | Aug 24, 2024

Jul 27, 2024; Florham Park, NJ, USA; New York Jets defensive end Solomon Thomas (94) warms up during training camp at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Once the third overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, former Stanford football star Solomon Thomas’ NFL career has been an interesting one for a guy who came in expecting to make an immediate impact for the then rebuilding San Francisco 49ers. After four years in San Francisco, including a 2020 season in which he tore his ACL in the second game, Thomas' time there came to an end without fully reaching the full potential set for him. However, more than three years after leaving, Thomas will return for the first time as an opposing player with a big chip on his shoulder.

Now a member of the New York Jets, Thomas had himself a career year in 2023, playing in all 17 of the team’s contests while having a career-high five sacks. After the season concluded, Thomas was rewarded with another one-year deal to return to the Jets. He's been open in the past about his mental health struggles, and credited his breakout campaign to working on how to handle that while also making sure that his mindset is always in the right place. And just like his 2023 season, it appears that he has carried that over to 2024 as well, having put together a dominant training camp thus far.

“I learned to love myself through my anxieties and my doubts and worries,” Thomas recently said. “I have also done a lot of personal work, unapologetically. Learning how to be present and not attach myself to the production of this game. It took a lot of work. I am not perfect and still fall back into my old habits, but I am surrounded by people that remind me to live my new way.”

Before joining the Jets, Thomas spent the 2021 season in Las Vegas playing for the Raiders, where he played in all 17 games as a rotational defensive lineman and recorded 3.5 sacks, forced two fumbles and had three tackles for a loss while helping the team clinch their first postseason appearance since 2021. Thomas then signed with the Jets that offseason, reuniting with former 49ers defensive coordinator and current Jets head coach Robert Saleh.

Thomas’ best season in San Francisco came in his rookie year, where he started 12 out of the 14 games he played in and recorded three sacks, 10 tackles for loss and had a fumble recovery. In 2018 and 2019, he had one sack and two sacks respectively, while appearing in all 16 games in both seasons, including helping the 49ers reach Super Bowl LIV in 2019, before getting injured in 2020. Despite his 49ers tenure not fully going according to plan, Thomas is excited to return to the place that he once called home as a new and improved player, ready to show his former team what they are missing.

“San Fran is a second home for me,” Thomas told NewYorkJets.com. “I went to school in that city, and I am excited to get back there. I get to play against one of my best friends in Christian McCaffrey and play in the place I started my career. I get to play my 100th NFL game there. Every game is the same, but I am super excited for this one.”

A hard worker, Thomas will fight for his chance to be even more impactful this year. As opening week approaches, he will do all he can to make sure that he is not only ready to perform at a high level and help bring the Jets to the playoffs, but that he is ready to play with a vengeance when he makes his homecoming trip to Levi’s Stadium on Monday Night Football in week one.