Joe Thuney Receives High Honor From NC State Football

RALEIGH — NC State has a strong tradition of players going on to success in the NFL, especially since Dave Doeren took over the program 13 seasons ago. During that time, a handful of new players have joined the program's Ring of Honor at Carter-Finley Stadium, seeing their names go up on the walls of the stadium for all to see.

Offensive lineman Joe Thuney is set to become the latest former NC State player to have his name enshrined in the Ring of Honor at some point during the 2026 season, dependent on his schedule with the Chicago Bears, per an announcement from the program.

More on Thuney's enshrinement

Thuney predated Doeren at NC State, playing for Tom O'Brien to start his career. He didn't see the field much before Doeren's arrival, but as the new coach worked to rebuild the Wolfpack from the ground up, he leaned on Thuney's leadership and talent in the trenches. That paid off in a big way, as Thuney developed into one of the stronger lineman in program history.

“Joe was the true definition of a team player during his time at NC State,” Doeren said in a statement. “He was willing to start wherever he was needed and he excelled at each position."

Nov 15, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren looks on against Miami Hurricanes during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

"He established a standard on the Wolfpack offensive line that players for the last decade have worked to live up to, which is one reason we’ve had two offensive linemen drafted in the first-round since then and have six on NFL rosters today. He worked just as hard in the classroom as he did on the field and truly deserves to have his name enshrined among other NC State stars.”

Thuney finished his Wolfpack career in style in 2015, earning First-Team All-ACC and All-American honors. He became the first NC State lineman to earn All-American honors in almost 40 years, with Jim Ritcher being the one to earn the honor before him in 1979. He played 40 games, starting 32 across different positions during his time in Raleigh.

Thuney has gone on to have one of the strongest NFL careers of any Pack Pro, winning our Super Bowls between his time with the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs. He received First-Team All-Pro honors three different times, including for his efforts with the Chicago Bears in 2025. He also won the inaugural Protector of the Year award in 2025.