Tra Thomas to Retire an Eagle

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People often discuss what allowed the Eagles to have so much success during Andy Reid's early years with the team, specifically the stretch where the team appeared in four consecutive conference championship games and a Super Bowl. The offensive line seldom appears at the top of the list, but the Birds fielded one of the most dominant units in the league for years, anchored by massive Tra Thomas as left tackle.

The three-time Pro Bowler announced through Twitter on Monday that he will sign a one-day contract with the club on Thursday and formally retire an Eagle.

The 11th overall pick in 1998, Thomas spent 11 years with the Birds, appearing in 166 games. He was an immediate starter in his rookie season coming out of Florida State, and only missed more than one game in a season once for Philadelphia.

After the '08 season, an aging Thomas was allowed to depart free agency in typical Eagles fashion. The front office traded for Jason Peters, while Thomas signed with the Jaguars for one disappointing season, starting three games and appearing in eight before calling it quits.

It's a nice gesture by Thomas and the team, as he had a fantastic career here, and was voted the best left tackle in franchise history by the fans in 2007.

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