20 Facts About Tom Thayer

Thomas Allen Thayer was born on August 16,1961 and is an American former professional football player who was a guard in the National Football League and United States Football League.

Tom Thayer played in the NFL for the Chicago Bears and the Miami Dolphins, and won a Super Bowl as a member of the 1985 Chicago Bears.

Tom Thayer is currently the color commentator on WMVP for Chicago Bears broadcasts.

The youngest of five children, Tom Thayer was born and raised in Joliet, Illinois.

Tom Thayer's father, Allen, was a lineman for Com Ed for 43 years before retiring.

Tom Thayer graduated from the Cathedral of Saint Raymond grade school in May 1975.

Tom Thayer then attended Joliet Catholic High School and graduated in 1979.

Tom Thayer helped the Joliet Catholic "Hilltoppers" to win consecutive Class 4A IHSA football championships in 1977 and 1978 as a junior and senior.

Tom Thayer was a member of the 1980 Fighting Irish team that was ranked number one in both the Coaches' Poll and AP Poll after going undefeated after seven games, but finished with only two wins out of their last five games, including a loss to the eventual National Champion Georgia Bulldogs in the 1981 Sugar Bowl, to finish the season ranked ninth and tenth respectively in the AP and College Coaches' polls.

Tom Thayer was named an honorable All-American while at Notre Dame and graduated with a degree in media communications in 1983.

Tom Thayer was drafted by the Chicago Bears with the team's 91st pick in round four of the 1983 NFL draft in April 1983.

Tom Thayer was one of the twenty-five players selected by the USFL's Chicago Blitz as part of the new league's 1983 Territorial Draft, which was held in January 1983, and the Bears were unaware that Tom Thayer had already agreed to a contract with the Blitz to play under head coach George Allen just hours before.

Tom Thayer played in the USFL from 1983 to 1985 for the Blitz, the Arizona Wranglers, and the Arizona Outlaws.

Tom Thayer then signed with the Bears for the 1985 season, joining a team, which included fellow 1983 draft class members Jimbo Covert, Willie Gault, Mike Richardson, Dave Duerson, Richard Dent, and Mark Bortz, that would go on to win Super Bowl XX.

Tom Thayer played eight seasons for the Bears, and started 130 out of 134 season games before being waived by the team after the start of the 1993 season because of an injury suffered while lifting weights during the previous off-season.

Tom Thayer then signed with the Miami Dolphins, but only appeared in three games for the team.

Tom Thayer retired from the NFL as a member of the Dolphins in 1993.

Tom Thayer was part of a sports-talk program at WCBR-FM before signing a three-year contract with WMAQ-AM, replacing former teammate Dan Hampton, to work as color commentator alongside Wayne Larrivee and Hub Arkush for Bears' radio broadcasts.

Tom Thayer is an avid surfer in the off season on Maui, Hawaii.

Tom Thayer is a member of the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame.