And if effort and professionalism made him fit the Jaguars’ “DNA,” Thomas said those traits come naturally. His father, defensive end/linebacker Bryan Thomas Sr., played 157 games in 11 NFL seasons – all with the New York Jets, who drafted him in Round 1 of the 2002 NFL Draft.
“I always play with effort,” he said. “I learned that from my pops. He played in the league for a lot of years. I learned that from him, running to the ball, having a lot of effort and creating plays.”
Thomas made the Jaguars’ roster following a productive, consistent preseason in which he played effectively in all three appearances. He registered 3.5 sacks (second-most in NFL) and six quarterback pressures (tied for most in NFL) and showed a natural ability to pressure the passer.
“When you have a gift of rushing the passer, man, it’s something that you can’t ignore,” Coen said Friday. “I thought the defense as a whole, obviously, with the shutout was huge, being led by Bryan, and he’s making it really difficult, which is a good thing.
“It’s what we’re hunting up. But he has had that skill set, that’s something we really appreciated about his game, and he has just continued to do it on this stage.”
Thomas had to grind his way to a spot on the Jaguars’ roster, and it started in May when the Jaguars’ rookies first took the practice field during the offseason program. He said he has grown significantly in recent weeks and months.