Former Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Joe Thomas, a Pro Football Hall of Famer known for playing an NFL-record 10,363 consecutive snaps, has built a second career running Hall of Fame Farms, a roughly 4,100-acre cattle operation in Wisconsin. The story highlights a growing trend of retired athletes turning to agriculture and food production, and has drawn attention from US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, who cited Thomas as an example of someone building a farming business from scratch rather than as a hobby.

Thomas bought the original 1,200-acre property in 2012 while still playing in the NFL, starting with just five cows and a bull; the farm now spans about 4,100 acres and raises hundreds of cattle, increasingly focused on Wagyu beef. His interest deepened after retiring in 2018, when he lost roughly 70 pounds and began prioritising "real food" and knowing the source of what he eats. He recently joined Rollins at the White House as President Trump signed two executive orders supporting US ranchers, and continues to work in broadcasting alongside his farming venture.