Chad Thomas (born October 12, 1995), also known as Major Nine, is an American rapper and former professional football player. He played as a defensive end for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL).
Early Years
Thomas led Booker T. Washington High School to the Class 4A state title as a junior in 2012 and again as a senior in 2013. In 2012, he recorded 57 tackles and six sacks. He was named 2013 second-team All-USA by USA TODAY and tallied 71 tackles and eight sacks as a senior. He enrolled in May 2014 and played in the Under Armour All-America Game. Thomas was also invited to “The Opening”, an all-star summer prospect camp held on Nike Campus. Additionally, he earned first-team All-Dade and first-team All-State honors as a junior and senior. Tim “Ice” Harris coached him at Booker T. Washington.
College Career
Thomas played college football for the Miami Hurricanes. Here's a breakdown of his performance each year:
Sophomore (2015)
Thomas started eight of 13 games and totaled 18 tackles. He was credited with a team-high four quarterback hurries. He also added four PBUs, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. Thomas saw action in the season opener vs. Bethune-Cookman (Sept. 5) and recorded one assisted tackle. He tied his career-high with three tackles against FAU (Sept. 11) and registered the first forced fumble of his career vs. the Owls. After seeing action vs. Nebraska (Sept. 19) without recording any stats, he made his first career start at Cincinnati (Oct. 1), totaling three tackles (two solo) and his first PBU. In his second straight start at Florida State (Oct. 10), he had one solo tackle. Thomas had two tackles and his first sack of his career (eight yards) in a start vs. Virginia Tech (Oct. 17), followed by three tackles in a start vs. Clemson (Oct. 24) and two tackles in a start at Duke (Oct. 31). He was credited with a quarterback hurry against Virginia (Nov. 7) and had one tackle and 0.5 TFLs at North Carolina (Nov. 14). After starting against Georgia Tech (Nov. 21) without recording any stats, he recovered a fumble that ended the game at Pittsburgh (Nov. 27). His final start of the season was against Washington State at the Hyundai Sun Bowl (Dec.
Junior (2016)
He started 12 games on the defensive line, serving as one of Miami’s top defensive playmakers. Thomas ranked third among defensive linemen with 37 tackles (22 solo) and second among all defensive players with 11.0 tackles for loss totaling 48 yards. He recorded 4.5 sacks (28 yards) and had three pass breakups. His 4.5 sacks were the second-most on the team. Thomas had one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He made his first start of the season against Florida A&M (Sept. 3) and totaled three tackles (two solo), recording an eight-yard TFL and one PBU against the Rattlers. In a start against FAU (Sept. 10), he registered three solo tackles and his first sack of the season, also adding one PBU against the Owls. He led the team with a career-high nine tackles in a start vs. Appalachian State (Sept. 17), totaling 3.5 TFLs (14 yards) and 1.5 sacks (12 yards) in the road win against the Mountaineers. After starting and having one tackle in a road win at Georgia Tech (Oct. 1), his dominant performance in a start against Florida State (Oct. 8) included four solo tackles, 2.0 TFLs (14 yards), and one sack (11 yards). Thomas started and had two tackles and 1.0 TFL against North Carolina (Oct. 15) before missing the game at Virginia Tech (Oct. 20) due to injury. He returned to action and recorded two solo tackles in a start at Notre Dame (Oct. 29) and had his first fumble recovery of his career in a start against Pittsburgh (Nov. 5). In a win at Virginia (Nov. 12), he delivered an impressive performance, recording six tackles (two solo), 2.0 TFLs (eight yards), and one sack (four yards). Thomas started and had three tackles and 0.5 TFLs in a win at NC State (Nov. 19) and started in the regular-season finale win over Duke (Nov. 26). He started and had four tackles (three solo), 0.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery in the Russell Athletic Bowl victory over West Virginia (Dec.
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Senior (2017)
Thomas started all 13 games on the defensive line and was among Miami’s top defensive contributors. He totaled 41 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks, with his 12.5 tackles for loss tied for the team high. Thomas started the season opener against Bethune-Cookman (Sept. 2) and finished with two tackles (one solo) and 1.5 TFLs (two yards). In a win over Toledo (Sept. 23), he posted three tackles (one solo), including his first sack of the season (one yard). He also started and finished with two tackles, including his second sack of the year (one yard), in a win at Duke (Sept. 29). Thomas posted three solo tackles and 1.0 tackle for loss (four yards) in a start at Florida State (Oct. 7). In a win over Georgia Tech (Oct. 14), he started and finished with four tackles (one solo), 1.5 TFLs (seven yards), and one solo sack (six yards). He started and had one solo tackle in a win over Syracuse (Oct. 21), with his lone tackle in a start at North Carolina (Oct. 28) being a 3-yard tackle for loss. Thomas had four tackles (two solo) and 0.5 TFLs in a win over Notre Dame (Nov. 11) and finished with four tackles, 0.5 sacks, and 1.0 TFLs in a Senior Day win over Virginia (Nov. 18). He had a season-high six tackles in a start at Pittsburgh (Nov. 24). Thomas started the ACC Championship Game against Clemson (Dec. 2) and delivered a standout performance, finishing with seven total tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss (seven yards), and one four-yard sack. He started and finished with four tackles (two solo), 2.0 tackles for loss (eight yards), and one seven-yard sack in the Capital One Orange Bowl against Wisconsin (Dec.
| Year | Games Started | Tackles | Tackles for Loss | Sacks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 8 | 18 | 0.5 | 1 |
| 2016 | 12 | 37 | 11 | 4.5 |
| 2017 | 13 | 41 | 12.5 | 5.5 |
On March 28, 2018, Thomas participated at Miami's pro day and performed the 40-yard dash (4.78s), 20-yard dash (2.81s), 10-yard dash (1.74s), vertical jump (32.5"), broad jump (9'10"), short shuttle (4.83s), and three-cone drill (7.36s).
NFL Career
Chad Thomas NFL Draft Tape: Miami DE
The Cleveland Browns selected Thomas with No. 67 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. On May 22, 2018, the Browns signed Chad Thomas and Antonio Callaway to their rookie contracts. The Browns announced their initial 53-man roster heading into the 2020 season on September 5, 2020.
Music Career
Transitioning from football, Chad Thomas is now known as Major Nine in the music industry. He has released tracks like "Testimony".
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