Joe Thomas made a name for himself in the fishing community on Draft Day last year when the lineman decided to skip the selection festivities and head out on his boat to catch a few. Well it seems like that and the popularity he's gained in Cleveland has lead to his own fishing show....

Recall if you will that this 6-foot-6, 315-pound mass of football player literally hung a ''Gone Fishin' '' sign on NFL Draft day in 2007 when he was the No. 3 pick so that he could cast some lines with his father. He has taken that love of the outdoors and parlayed it into a co-hosting gig on Outdoors Ohio with D'Arcy Egan & Joe Thomas.

''It's great. I get paid to do two hobbies,'' Thomas said, laughing. ''It's a lot of fun, and I know that people who grew up fishing wish it was something that they could do with their life. It has been a lot of fun getting involved in that part of fishing in front of the camera and learning a little bit more about that, but also going out and having fun.''

No matter whose idea it was, it proved a shrewd move pairing Thomas with Egan, a fixture as the outdoors writer for the Plain Dealer. It gives the show more celebrity cachet and, during the offseason, keeps at least one member of the Browns in the public eye.

Thomas said that so far they have filmed half of their next season, which was interrupted by Browns organized team activities the past few weeks, and will resume this weekend. He said he's having fun now, but Thomas was noncommittal when asked if he would pursue broadcasting when he retires.

''Maybe; we'll see down the road,'' he said with a smile.