Joe Thomas, Revis lead new Football Hall class

Joe Thomas gave fans of the new version of the Cleveland Browns something they could finally celebrate.

The six-time All-Pro offensive lineman will join lockdown cornerback Darrelle Revis as inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on their first try, becoming the first Browns Hall of Famer from the team's inglorious expansion era.

"It's really special for me because the franchise has endured some really tough times," Thomas said. "But those fans are so loyal and passionate, and they still show up and it still is their identity that they're Browns fans.''

Since returning to the NFL in 1999, the Browns have had two playoff berths, one playoff win and the worst record in the league.

Thomas and Revis join a new class of Hall of Famers announced Thursday that also includes return finalists DeMarcus Ware, Zach Thomas and Ronde Barber. Senior candidates Joe Klecko, Chuck Howley and Ken Riley, along with coaching candidate Don Coryell also got voted into the Hall and will be inducted this summer.

The headliners of the class are Joe Thomas and Revis — the two firstround picks from the 2007 draft who took far different journeys to this ultimate honor.

Picked third in the draft by Cleveland, Thomas stepped in as an immediate starter and never moved until a torn triceps ended his final season in 2017. Thomas played 10,363 consecutive snaps before that injury as one of the only dependable parts on one of the NFL's sorriest franchises.

Revis' best stretch came in New York with the Jets, where he was a first-team All-Pro from 2009-11 and finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2009 when he repeatedly shut down top receivers by sending them to "Revis Island."

Ware was a four-time All-Pro in Dallas and then helped Denver win a Super Bowl in the 2015 season. He led the NFL in sacks twice and finished with 138 1/2 sacks in his career.

Barber was a key cog to the Tampa-2 defensive scheme as a cornerback for the Buccaneers. He was a three-time All-Pro, led the NFL with 10 interceptions in 2001 and won a Super Bowl the next season.

Zach Thomas was a five-time AllPro who spent 12 of his 13 seasons with Miami before finishing with one year in Dallas.