Joe Thomas trolled Browns fans with a shocking job announcement

Joe Thomas has built an amazing second career for himself after retiring from the Cleveland Browns in 2018. He has a budding media career and also owns a high-end beef company known as "Hall of Fame Beef."

That is why some Browns fans may have been shocked when seeing one of Thomas' tweets on Saturday. It came in reference to the Atlanta Falcons hiring Kevin Stefanski following a steak dinner reportedly cooked by owner Arthur Blank.

I can confirm this was @halloffamebeef because I was down there as part of the possible assistants on that staff. It was the best steak of my life!!🤤😋🥩🍺 https://t.co/U445fA6C0o
— Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) January 18, 2026

Thomas claimed the steaks were from his company and that he knew this fact because he was at the dinner himself as a possible assistant on Stefanski's staff.

This led to a wild set of replies and reactions from Browns fans. Would Thomas really get into coaching and join the Falcons instead of the Browns?

In turns out it was all a prank, as revealed by Thomas on Sunday after hours of guessing and speculation by fans on social media.

2 truths and a lie! I most definitely will not be coaching next year anything but the fighting cardinals 4th grade flag football team up in Wisconsin 🔥🔥
— Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) January 18, 2026

As expected, Thomas was just joking around and plans to relax in his home state of Wisconsin all year. The replies to the follow-up show he had plenty of people fooled throughout the weekend.

Stefanski will not be landing Thomas as part of his new staff. But the Browns connections don't end with him. Jokes aside, reports have noted how Stefanski may land former Browns offensive line coach Bill Callahan, along with offensive coordinator Tommy Rees.

Kevin Stefanski’s coaching staff could look familiar to what we saw in Cleveland, with Bill Callahan coaching the offensive line and Tommy Rees serving as offensive coordinator. Details are still being worked through.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 18, 2026

The Falcons wasted no time hiring Stefanski and appear thrilled to have him in town. That does raise eyebrows in terms of why the Browns felt so inclined to move on. An 8-26 record over the past two years proved too much for even a two-time Coach of the Year to overcome.

Thomas is set for life and it would be a surprise to see him take a position coach job at this stage in life. But he still fooled plenty of fans and the fact anyone believed him shows the shaky state of the Browns right now. Getting a new coach in place should provide some sense of stability. It should also take the focus away from Stefanski's new job and all the analysis about what could have been with him in Cleveland next season.

If Thomas ever does get into coaching, Browns fans will expect it to be in Cleveland.