Joe Thomas' Farm Journey: ex-Browns star builds Hall of Fame cattle business; Wagyu drives growth

Former Cleveland Browns star Joe Thomas has taken an unexpected turn after retiring from football, trading the NFL field for life on a Wisconsin farm. The Pro Football Hall of Famer is the owner of Hall of Fame Farms, a cattle operation located in the state’s Driftless Region. Thomas spent 11 seasons with the Browns before retiring in 2018 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2023. According to Fox News, his interest in farming grew while he was still playing, eventually leading him to build a substantial agricultural operation with his family. Farm Progress has also reported on Thomas’ work on the farm and his approach to raising cattle.From football to farmingThomas, who grew up in Wisconsin, has spoken about wanting to own land long before his NFL career ended. He purchased the original property in 2012, while still playing for Cleveland, and initially started with just a handful of cattle.What began as a family farm eventually developed into a much larger agricultural operation. Fox News reported in September 2026 that the property has grown from the original 1,200 acres to roughly 4,100 acres and now includes hundreds of cattle, with Wagyu increasingly becoming a focus of...