The Wisconsin football program will have four players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame after the 2023 class is inducted this summer.

That’s after former offensive lineman Joe Thomas was among nine players/coaches that found out Thursday night that they had earned the highest individual honor the game of football has to give and will be enshrined in Canton in August.

Thomas earned his place after an 11-year career with the Cleveland Browns. The No. 3 overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, Thomas was one of the best left tackles in football for a decade. He was a 10-time Pro Bowl selection, a 6-time first-team All-Pro and a member of the Hall of Fame’s All-2010s team. Thomas was dominant and reliable, not missing a snap of football until his final season in 2017.

The only thing that limited Thomas’ greatness, and a national audience getting to see it, was the lack of success the Browns had during his career. The team won 10 games his rookie year but never won more than seven the rest of the way, never made the playoffs and went 0-16 in his final season.

Thomas entered the NFL after a standout career for the Badgers. He started his final three seasons at left tackle, being named a first-team All-American as a senior and winning the Outland Trophy, which goes to the top interior lineman in the country. For his efforts, Thomas was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and the UW Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019.

Thomas joins fellow former Badgers Mike Webster, Arnie Herber and Elroy Hirsch in the Hall.

In addition to Thomas, the 2023 class will include Darrelle Revis, DeMarcus Ware, Ronde Barber, Chuck Howley, Joe Klecko, Ken Riley, Zach Thomas and coach Don Coryell.