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last mo.

Clendon Thomas, Oklahoma Two-Way Great and NFL Pro Bowler, Dies at 90

A longtime friend said he died of pneumonia in Tulsa.

(Original Caption) Howard Dare (21), Maryland halfback, breaks over the right side of the Oklahoma line for a short gain during the first quarter to the Orange Bowl game. Oklahoma players are Clendon Thomas (35), Dennit Morris (51), and Chuck Bowman (52). Maryland players are Lynn Beightol (12) and Tim Flynn (81). Oklahoma won 20-6.
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Overview

  • Thomas starred for Oklahoma from 1955 to 1957 under Bud Wilkinson, helping win national titles in 1955 and 1956 during the program’s 47-game winning streak.
  • He was a unanimous All-American in 1957, led the nation in scoring in 1956, and finished ninth in Heisman Trophy voting in 1957.
  • Drafted by the Rams in 1958, he played 11 NFL seasons with Los Angeles and Pittsburgh, earning a 1963 Pro Bowl nod and totaling 27 interceptions and 10 fumble recoveries.
  • He was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in 1995 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
  • Chuck Bowman, his longtime friend and former roommate, said a memorial service is planned for late February at Putnam City Baptist Church in Oklahoma City.