Tommy Thompson

Thomas Wright Thompson (January 6, 1927 – October 1, 1990) was an American professional football linebacker and center who played for the Cleveland Browns in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) and the National Football League (NFL) in the late 1940s and early 1950s. He played college football at the College of William & Mary in Virginia.

Thompson was a standout athlete at his high school in New Jersey. He continued playing football at William & Mary between 1944 and 1948 – his career was interrupted by a year of service in the U.S. military during World War II – and helped the team to a series of winning records and bowl appearances. He was named an all-Southern Conference center three times in college and was a third-string All-American in 1948, his senior year.

Thompson joined the Browns in 1949 and played primarily as a linebacker as the team won the AAFC championship. The Browns joined the NFL in 1950 and won the league championship that year. Thompson was a leader for Cleveland, serving as its captain in 1952 and 1953, his final two seasons. He was named a first-team All-Pro in 1953. After retiring, Thompson worked as a financial executive and was a trustee at William & Mary. He was inducted into his college's athletics hall of fame in 1969 and into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 1975. He died of cancer in 1990.

Early life and college

Thompson grew up in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey and attended Woodbridge High School. He played football there and was named an all-state athlete under head coach Nick Priscoe. Thompson played for William & Mary in 1944 and between 1946 and 1948 – his career was interrupted by a brief stint in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was a leader on the team and an anchor of its line.

William & Mary finished with an 8–2 win–loss record in 1946, and Thompson was named an all-Virginia center. The team improved to 9–2 the following year under head coach Rube McCray and won the Southern Conference, but lost to Arkansas in the Dixie Bowl. Led by a sturdy defense and an offense that featured quarterback Otto Graham, fullback Marion Motley and end Dante Lavelli, the Browns finished with a 9–1–2 record in 1949 and won the AAFC championship. Thompson spent some time at center during his rookie year, but was mostly a middle linebacker in the Browns' 5-3 defense in his first three seasons.

The AAFC dissolved after the 1949 season, and the Browns were absorbed by the more established NFL. The Browns won the NFL championship in 1950, and advanced to the championship game but lost each year between 1951 and 1953, Thompson's last season. During his last two years, he was the right-side linebacker after Cleveland switched to a 5-2 defense. Thompson, who served on William & Mary's board of trustees, was appointed a senior vice president at the brokerage Shearson Lehman Hutton in early 1990, heading the company's Baltimore office. He died of cancer in later that year. Thompson and his wife, Elizabeth, had four children.