There are few former Cleveland Browns players that are more beloved than Joe Thomas. That isn't exactly a secret in NFL circles. Which is why it's a bit weird that NFL commentator and writer Micheal Silver decided to go after him on Twitter.

Thomas has finally hung up his cleats and is joining the NFL Network to give his expert opinions on all things football. While Thomas could have likely gone the coaching route, given the fact that he was more than a big body who could push people around, he decided to go to the broadcaster route instead.

Drinking that Hatorade

It appears that while Thomas isn't on the Browns anymore, he's still drawing fire from one of the longest standing Cleveland critics on social media. Michael Silver has been handing the Cleveland Browns and their fans healthy doses of Hatorade for quite some time now.

It's not clear exactly why the writer and broadcaster has had such a hard time with the franchise, but he's someone that has gone on the record as not willing to even acknowledge that the team played quite a bit better as the season went on last year.

According to Dawg Pound Daily, it appears that one of the reasons he's been as negative towards Joe Thomas' old team is because he was very good friends with former head coach Hue Jackson.

The vitriol that has been spewed towards Cleveland players and fans has ramped up quite a bit since the team dismissed Jackson.

That still doesn't explain quite why Silver has aimed his sights at one of the best players on a franchise that has had a hard time producing that kind of talent for quite a while now. The good news is that even if Silver is taking pot shots at Thomas, the former lineman is showing that he can obviously handle his own business quite well.

Thomas fires back

After Thomas gave some advice to NFL rookies about how they are going to be treated when they first arrive in camp, Silver couldn't help himself. Thomas said that these rookies should keep their mouths shut and get to work. He said these players' teammates see they aren't acting like rookies anymore, they will talk to them.

Silver tweeted at Thomas that, "The same goes for NFL Network rookies. If we don't talk to Joe Thomas... well, you know..." The tweet seems to mostly be tongue in cheek but at the same time, it's hard not to notice there was a little bit of venom in the comment. This is especially true when talking about the guy who still won't give Baker Mayfield any credit for one heck of a debut season.

While Cleveland Browns fans certainly had some problems with the way Silver talked to Thomas, it turns out they didn't need to rush to his defense.

Joe Thomas had a heck of a zinger to shoot right back at the veteran NFL analyst. "I’ve been begging you to stop talking to me for a decade: you’re saying all I had to do was tell you I was a rookie? should have done that a long time ago."
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