Joe Thomas Has No Love for Peyton Hillis
 

Joe Thomas unloads on Peyton Hillis for putting contract above team

Running back Peyton Hillis returns to Cleveland this weekend, a year after the Madden curse impacted him in an unprecedented way.

Hillis wanted a new contract, and his desire to cash in got in the way of his performance.

On Wednesday, Browns left tackle Joe Thomas confirmed what had been long suspected regarding a tumultuous season that included rumors and reports of Hillis using illness and injury as an excuse to demonstrate his displeasure with not getting paid.

“It was a terrible distraction,” Thomas said, via the Associated Press. “He crippled our offense. We were struggling to find anybody who could carry the ball after all the injuries we had. To have Peyton going through a contract dispute and basically refusing to play, it was a big distraction. But more than anything, he was our starting running back that was a good player who was going to help us be a successful offense.

“When he’s not there and you don’t have anybody to turn to, it makes it hard to win. And that’s the distraction, it’s not being successful.”

Hillis became the unexpected workhorse of the Cleveland running game in 2010, after second-round rookie Montarrio Hardesty was injured. Hillis racked up more than 1,100 yards, and he won a popular-vote tournament to become the cover athlete for Madden 12.

“He was everything people knew about him — hard-working, blue-collar, tough, would do anything for anybody on the team,” Thomas said. “All he cared about was winning, and then all of a sudden the next year, all he cared about was trying to get his new contract.”

Thomas specifically pointed to Hillis leaving the team to get married during the season, at a time when he needed treatment for injuries.

“It was kind of one weird thing after another more than anything,” Thomas said. “We have guys getting married during the season and it’s not a big deal. When you’re ‘injured’ [yes, Thomas used air quotes . . . take that, Kuselias] and you should be getting treatment, to go do your own thing repeatedly was just disrespectful more than anything to his teammates.”

Thomas said that players tried to get through to him, to no avail.

“You see a lot of guys in contract disputes, like Matt Forte,” Thomas said. “His solution was, ‘I’m going to go out and prove they have to have me and they can’t play without me.’ The frustrating thing to a lot of teammates was you would try to talk to him and you try to tell him, ‘That’s not the right way to do it if you want to get your big contract.’ He just wouldn’t listen to anybody.

“People who thought they were very close friends with him, he wouldn’t listen to anybody. He thought he knew the right way to do it and it ended up not being the right way and hurting everybody. Not just himself. It was a tough situation.”

Hillis ultimately signed a one-year deal with the Chiefs. Thanks to the comments from Thomas, who admirably went on the record and didn’t hide behind anonymity, it’s safe to say that Hillis will receive a less-than-warm welcome when he re-enters the Factory of Sadness on Sunday.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...ct-above-team/

hillis is a pussy quitter

That's bullshit. If the "Executive of the Decade" thought he was good enough to sign he must be...

You may be right, but would you say it to his face?:hmmm:

Good I hope the Browns take this as an opportunity to give us another loss and stick Hillis in the dirt.

Hillis is garbage. It pisses me off seeing him get the goalline TD over Charles.

That angered me too. Then they gave Baldwin a cheap TD over letting JC get it when he did all the work getting them in the position to score. JC deserved the opportunity to score a TD.

Anyone think Hillis was an upgrade over Jones? (I bet J.Baldwin does.)

I get what everyone is saying, but I take issue with the "he thought he knew the right way" comment. His contract is his business. There isn't one person on this board who would take the opinion of co-workers or even strangers into account when it comes to negotiating a salary.

mike tyson is a rapist

would you say it to his face?

any other deep thoughts....

Not exactly an apt comparison, but kudos for the effort.

we should draft a guy like Thomas in the first

Now watch Hillis get all pissed off and bulldoze the browns. heh

Joe Thomas needs an Eric Winston injection

Back in the saddle.

Well done. Whatever happened to the old O-Line ethic of keeping a low profile? Just do your job and let your efforts speak for you? I know I'm getting old.

This please...

I like that Thomas isn't afraid to throw Hillis under the bus when all Hillis did was act like a little bitch all year.

I think that Thomas is a bitch for these comments.

Look, this is an extremely small fraternity of men. 1,698 on the active roster of 32 teams to be exact.

Calling someone out, especially someone who isn't on your team any longer, is just plain dumb.

Omaha Omaha

Hillis basically betrayed the Browns, and didn't care about his team. What's so wrong about Thomas speaking his mind this week?

LMAO

Right. He "betrayed" them. Gave away national security secrets. Joined the CIA.

You could tell He wasn't going to play as long as Cassel was QB after that pass that was thrown behind him and his "new" injury.

The guy is a tool. I hope he is gone after this season.

That was a great call. The inside slant, with the bigger WR and Baldwin got the position on the defender. Call that all day long! We should have been using Baldwin all year long already, JFC!

The real problem is, when someone really knows how to game plan and call and all the players want to play, there aren't enough balls to go around on this offense and the fantasy guys are gonna cry about it when their guy doesn't score a TD.

He went from a runaway train in 2010, into the epitome of a front running, check casher in cleveland.

C'mon man, he's been a crap, focused on self after the one season hype, what could the hype do to secure him more instant money, not how could he propel and instill himself into the team, a team begging for a hope, a leader... the case against him was nationwide.

KC takes a shot, general money was hoping on a change of scenery and familiar system bringing him back to square, heres the real shot to restablish himself... and he chokes out early, when he's sure others are quitting on the QB.

I was hoping for the Great White Bus, but have so far gotten the Bust... he has some hard decisions to make, for sure.

Who cares?

He hardly "betrayed" the Browns.

Do you know who "betrayed" the Browns? Mike Holmgren.

Instead of drafting RGIII, he traded away those rights.

That's betrayal.

Seems like a cheap shot at someone who was a teammate. Drew Bree's got his and didn't care that along with everything else that was going on doing so would hurt the team. Business is business. I don't hate the guy, he hasn't produced but neither have a lot of other Chiefs.

Pay Bowe at least he performed, it's easy to see on Sunday who the guys who get it are. Johnson,Charles, Berry,Albert those guys have gave maximum effort. That doesn't mean they haven't made mistakes but the effort is there.

I'll take this time to again slam Kendrick Lewis for not being able to tackle anyone(never has been a good tackler) and congrats to Hartman for displaying what a Free Saftey should be able to do. I don't want the saftey leading the team but that solo tackle on Newton from all the way on the other side of the field was a big league play.

Not to defend Hillis, but their offense has been crippled for years.

Maybe he didnt betray them per se, he just quit trying.

He's been a textbook profile of quitter in KC so far, save last week.

Time to get his shine on or get lost.

I just think he had one amazing year in Cleveland, which turns out, was an aberration.

The reality of Hillis is that he is just a sixth round running back from Arkansas that outside of 2010, is playing to his draft slot.

NEVERRRRRR!!!!

http://global3.memecdn.com/Ketchup-C...ck_o_96651.gif

an adult would pick up the phone and do this

Joe Thomas : Yo Peyton Hillis...stop frontin like you a work ethic player k?
Hillis: maaaaaayyyyn I ain't even trippin' just trying to get paid ya know?
Thomas: I feel yeah, shit don't sit right....
Hillis: I'll take you and your girl out to eat. we gets it straight.
Thomas: Aight see you at chili's
Hillis: peace


*Chili's*

Hillis: What up boy?
Joe Thomas: Sup whichu?

*girls hang up fur coats on racks at chili's that have water ski's on them"

Hillis: You try these pizza bites yet? They are off the chain son!
Joe Thomas: Yeah? I got some from totino's back at the crib, but you know, they just don't let you take pizza rolls into here and let you fry them up.
Hillis: Laughs
Joe Thomas: Yeah you know me, I'll be back in the fry room trying to broil up some pizza bites, burning shit. Burning my hands and shit...
Hillis: ohhhhhh shit ohhh shit ohhhhh shit *laughs*
*Girls* Can we have a Maui Blue Surfer drink Fishbowl drink?
Joe Thomas: Yo man about this contact... whats up?
Hillis: It's like this man. More Shows, more dough, more ho's, more clothes.
Joe Thomas: more pizza?
Hillis Joe Thomas *Laughs*

"Chili's.... eat dinner...squash shit. FOR REAL

.

Don't have a problem with an NFL player holding out. The window for a football player is short and owners can cut players just about whenever they feel like it and tear up contracts. Have to get paid.

Hillis seems to be garbage though.

Hillis can have fun bowling in another city next year.

the riiiiiight 53

when I read the thomas quotes it sounds like he felt betrayed by a team mate, I don't see the problem with this terminology. sounds like hillis skipped games, practices etc for injuries that were questionable to team mates, and instead of getting treatment went to do his own thing.

If you feel like you can't trust a co-worker to do his/her job, when they used to be able to do it, isn't that a betrayal of sorts? At the end of the day, you have to get over it and adapt and overcome those issues, but it doesn't disregard the initial letdown

Link?

If Thomas wanted to say something, he should have said it when Hillis was still on the team.

St. Louis traded away the rights to the 2nd pick.

I agree the right time as a teammate is to say it when it matters and when it's face to face, behind closed doors. With the hope it can change behavior and improve the team.

But this story doesn't say that didn't happen, and right now it's the media looking for a story, it's pretty much a non-issue, I was just commenting about how it can be seen as a let down. All just my humble opinions, respectfully submitted for you and any lurkers to read.

I used to like Hillis. Sad sad.

"The frustrating thing to a lot of teammates was you would try to talk to him and you try to tell him, ‘That’s not the right way to do it if you want to get your big contract.’ He just wouldn’t listen to anybody."

Sounds like he and others did try to talk to Hillis while he was was on the team.

We'll agree to disagree.

I think Joe Thomas appears to be a whiny crybaby. I also believe that it's pretty uncool to call out a former teammate.

It was a joke.

Didn't you hear the rumor that Hillis wanted to quit football and join the CIA?

Bob Fescoe ‏@bobfescoe

Peyton Hillis called Joe Thomas his crazy ex girlfriend #chiefs #browns

LMAO i gotta admit, thats a pretty sweet rebuttal.

Well, on that we do agree.

We expected something different?

Chiefs' Hillis reacts tersely to Browns' Thomas
By DAVE SKRETTA (AP Sports Writer) | The Associated Press – 23 minutes ago

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Chiefs running back Peyton Hillis responded tersely to comments by former teammate Joe Thomas, likening him to a ''crazy ex-girlfriend'' who won't move on.

Thomas, the Browns' offensive tackle, said Wednesday that Hillis didn't always play hard during his time in Cleveland. He referred to Hillis as ''toxic'' and accused him of putting his contract situation ahead of the team.

The Chiefs visit the Browns on Sunday.

Hillis responded Thursday by saying, ''Joe Thomas, he can have his opinions all he wants. It's kind of like a crazy ex-girlfriend, you know? It's been over a year. Get on with it.''

Hillis said it's easy for Thomas to rip others for seeking a new contract when ''you get paid $100 million by one team.''

Joe Thomas has been a very good player for his team.


He's also a decent guy.


Hillis plays like a guy who was good the year he got away with HgH but can't now.

I love that Browns fans refer to their stadium as The Factory of Sadness:

Led me back to this YouTube rant:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRBDMMVctu8

A Planet member needs to get out to Arrowhead and make a similar effort.

That actually has gotten thrown around in the media quite frequently. LMAO

So just so I have this straight. A player on a shitty team talked shit about a shitty player on a shitty team who then talked shit about the player on the other shitty team. Shit, that's a lot of shit

Somebody bought a hillis Jersey?

there isnt a fan in KC that likes Hillis...

That guy is weak sauce.

The other day, I listened to an interview with Joe Thomas on one of the Browns radio station deals.

He actually sounds like a pretty intelligent, well-spoken guy. In fact, I was impressed with his attitude and approach to the game. Interestingly (at least, to me), he was far more candid, honest, and thoughtful than any Chiefs player I've heard interviewed in years. There wasn't much of the canned "player-speak" to which we've become so accustomed over the past few years. I turned off the interview thinking that the Chiefs have become so fearfully buttoned-down that the players are behaving like automatons instead of normal, human personages ... honestly, I didn't realize it until I heard that local Cleveland interview. If that's true, it can't be a good thing ... for anybody, really.

FAX

I remember when this guy was invited to new York for the draft and he was like, "nah..I'd rather go fishing. let me know how it turns out."

Hillis quit on his team.

Like it or not, 'team-mates' view that in a different light than you or I. To them, he was basically sabotaging the team for his own personal gain.

Whether you find the word 'betrayal' to be hyperbole or not, his former team-mates have been lighting him up like this since last season. He's a quitter.