Former Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Joe Thomas had a heartfelt message for Browns fans before his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday.

“I want to express the gratitude that I have for Cleveland Browns fans, for Northeast Ohio, and everything that they've meant to me and the motivation that they gave me during my career to be at my best so that I can stand up there, like I'm going to do on Saturday, and be a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame 2023 class,” Thomas said on Wednesday, via ESPN Cleveland.

Thomas will join former Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Ronde Barber, former Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware, former New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis and five other inductees in the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2023. Cleveland has 18 members in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and five additional player inductees who spent part of their playing careers with the Browns, according to the team's website.

Thomas, a former first-round pick out of Wisconsin, played and started in 167 games for the Browns since he was taken with the No. 3 pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. Thomas earned 10 Pro Bowl selections, six places on All-Pro teams and a spot on the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team before he announced his retirement in 2018.

“From the moment I was drafted, the city embraced me in a way that I could never fully describe. I am proud to call Cleveland home,” Thomas said in a 2018 release, via SB Nation. “The loyalty and passion of the fans is unmatched and it was an honor to play in front of them from the past 11 years.

“I would like to thank all of the coaches, teammates, staff, fans and everyone who has shown me support throughout my career. Even though I will be hanging up my cleats, I will always be a Cleveland Brown.”