Pierre Thomas (American football)

Charles Pierre Thomas Jr. (born December 18, 1984) is an American football running back for the New Orleans Saints in the National Football League. Thomas led the Saints in total rushing yards in 2008 and 2009.

Early years
Pierre Thomas's first love was baseball and it was not until a year before high school that he picked up football. Thomas played for the Lansing Lions as a youth. Thomas lead Thornton Fractional South High School to the state semifinals as a senior and set school career rushing records of 88 touchdowns and 5,522 yards that also ranked in the top 10 in Illinois state history. Some of his self-taught practice for high school football included running up a steep hill with a backpack full of books on and pushing cars around. He was recruited by the University of Illinois. Pierre's biggest inspiration is his mother and his cousin. His hero is Barry Sanders, former running back for the Detroit Lions.

2007 Season
Going undrafted in 2007 was not how Thomas had envisioned his entry into the NFL. Regardless, he knew that hard work and determination would be the key to his success. Thomas was competing with a fourth round draft pick for the final spot on the roster in an already heavy backfield which included Deuce McAllister, Reggie Bush and Aaron Stecker. After showing star potential in the preseason, Pierre became one of only two rookie free agents to make opening day roster. Quickly becoming a fan favorite as a kick returner, Pierre was anxious to get his shot at running back. And he would, making his first career start on December 30, in his home town of Chicago against the Bears – one of the most feared and respected defenses in the league. On a cold and windy night, with temperatures below freezing, Pierre would run for arguably one of the best performances of his career in front of his family and friends. He had 20 carries for 105 yards and caught 12 passes for 121 yards with an 11 yard touchdown, becoming the first player in New Orleans Saints history to gain more than 100 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving in the same game. Pierre’s 226 total yards from scrimmage inked him into the record books as third-highest total in team history. Through this gutsy performance with two cracked ribs, Thomas earned himself more carries for the following season.

2008 season
In 2008, Thomas led the Saints in rushing with 625 yards on 129 carries - averaging 4.8 yards per carry and nine touchdowns. He also finished seventh with 31 catches for 284 yards and three touchdowns and led the team with 31 kickoff returns for 793 yards. Thomas led the team in scoring with 72 points. To some, the 2008 season was a disappointing one. The team battled injuries, the life of a football warrior. Pierre however, viewed the season as a great learning experience.

2009 season
Thomas started six games, playing in fourteen, leading the team with a career-best 793 yards on 147 rushing attempts – averaging 5.4 yard per carry with six touchdowns and also caught 39 passes for 302 yards with two touchdowns. The Saints jumped out to an impressive 13-0 start before losing the final three games of regular season. Locking in a bye for the first round of playoffs proved highly beneficial as the team was “dinged up” from a hard fought regular season. Thomas had bruised/cracked ribs. In the NFC championship game against the Minnesota Vikings, Thomas carried the ball 14 times for 61 yards along with two catches for 38 yards and two touchdowns – a 38 yard reception on a screen pass and a nine yard run from scrimmage. He was a key factor in the game-winning field goal drive in overtime. Thomas set up the drive with a 40 yard kickoff return followed by converting on a key fourth-and-one with a “Walter Paytonesque” leap over the top for 2 yards. The Saints played and defeated the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV in Miami. Thomas carried the ball nine times for 30 yards and caught six passes for 55 yards with a 16 yard touchdown on a screen pass in the third quarter to give the Saints their first ever Super Bowl touchdown and their first lead en route to a Super Bowl XLIV Championship.

2010 season
Thomas started in one game, playing in three gaining 146 yards on 46 rushing attempts – averaging 3.2 yards per carry with a long of twelve. He earned one touchdown and also caught 17 passes for 133 yards with an average of 7.8 and a long of 23, and no touchdowns. The reigning Super Bowl-winning Saints started the season 4-3 with a Halloween Night match-up against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He injured his ankle in game three against the Atlanta Falcons.