J.T. Thomas was the first Black to play football at FSU; he also was the first FSU Black All-American football player, and first Black student-athlete to graduate, with a degree in business. He went on to play ten years in the National Football League (nine seasons with the Pittsburg Steelers, where he was part of four Super Bowl winning teams, and one with the Denver Broncos). A native of Macon, GA, he now resides in Pennsylvania where he is a successful businessman and is involved in several civic and community organizations.