Joel Thomas, a 26-year coaching veteran, has tutored the Saints running backs for ten seasons (2015-23 and 2025-). After spending the 2024 season coaching the New York Giants running backs, the Port Angeles, Wash. native returned to New Orleans in 2025 with the additional title of associate head coach.
In Thomas' ten seasons presiding over the Saints running backs, New Orleans tailbacks have led a balanced attack on the ground and through the air. The Saints' 170 rushing touchdowns are tied for fifth in the NFL and their 18,649 rushing yards rank 13th. A Saints tailback has ranked in the top ten in the NFL in receiving at the position in eight of the ten campaigns of Thomas' Black and Gold tenure, with the 1,084 receptions by Saints running backs the most in the league at the position. Thomas has helped his running backs earn six Pro Bowl selections – Alvin Kamara (2017-21) and Mark Ingram II (2017).
Under Thomas' tutelage, Kamara, the Saints' all-time rushing yardage leader, was the only NFL player with at least 1,160 total yards from scrimmage in each of the seven seasons he first coached him, three of them 1,500 or more. In 2023 under Thomas' tutelage, Kamara, the team's all-time rushing leader, became the franchise's all-time leader in yards from scrimmage, rushing touchdowns and total touchdowns. Thomas also coached Ingram, New Orleans' career rushing leader from 2021-24 (6,500 yards), for six years, including two 1,000-yard campaigns. During his first New Orleans tenure, the Saints ranked in the top six in the NFL in rushing three times (2017, 2018 and 2020).
In 2020, Thomas oversaw the NFL's sixth-ranked rushing attack. New Orleans led the league with a club-record 30 touchdowns on the ground, tied for the NFL's sixth-highest total all-time. Kamara, selected to his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl, shattered the team record and led the NFL with 21 touchdowns, ranking second with 93 first downs and third with a career-best 1,688 yards from scrimmage. In addition to running for a then-career-high 932 yards on 187 carries (5.0 avg.), Kamara led NFL running backs in receiving with a team-best and career-high 83 grabs for 756 yards and five touchdowns, as he became only the second Saint to lead the team in rushing and receiving in the same season. Latavius Murray served as a solid complement to Kamara in the running game, carrying 146 times for 656 yards (4.5 avg.) with four touchdowns.
In 2018, the Saints were ranked sixth in the NFL in rushing (126.6 ypg.). Kamara had a standout sophomore campaign, as he rushed 194 times for a club best 883 yards (4.6 avg.) with 14 touchdowns. He also caught 81 receptions for 709 yards with four scores for a 1,589 total yards from scrimmage and 18 total touchdowns. Ingram rushed 138 times for 645 yards (4.7 avg.) with six touchdowns in 12 games.
In 2017, the duo of Ingram and rookie Kamara produced standout seasons, with both being selected to the Pro Bowl. Ingram appeared in all 16 games for the second consecutive season and led the team with a career-high 1,124 yards rushing and a career-best 12 touchdowns on 230 carries, a 4.9-yard average per attempt. He added a career-high 58 receptions for 416 yards for a career-high 1,540 yards from scrimmage. Kamara set a league record for rookie running backs with 826 receiving yards on 81 receptions and five touchdowns, while he led the NFL by averaging 6.1 yards per carry on 120 carries for 728 yards with eight touchdowns. He led the club with 1,554 total yards from scrimmage and was selected by the Associated Press as the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and as a second-team All-Pro at the Flex position. The 3,094 combined total yards from scrimmage from Ingram and Kamara was the second-most by an NFL running back duo since the start of a 16-game season in 1978.
With the Giants in 2024, Thomas oversaw the development of rookie tailback Tyrone Tracy Jr., a fifth round pick from Purdue. Tracy earned PFWA All-Rookie honors when he carried 192 times for 839 yards (4.4 avg.) with five touchdowns to rank second among NFL rookies for the season and New York rookies all-time in rushing yards. He added 38 receptions for 284 yards with one touchdown to tally a total of 1,123 yards from scrimmage, the fifth-highest total among NFL rookies in 2024 and fourth among Giants rookies all-time.
Thomas first joined the Saints in 2015 following a two-year stint (2013-14) as the running backs coach at the University of Arkansas. In 2014, tailbacks Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins were the only pair of FBS teammates to rush for 1,000-plus yards. The duo became just the second pair of Razorbacks to accomplish the feat. Collins became just the second player in school history to surpass 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons and was named SEC Freshman of the Year in 2013.
Thomas was the running backs coach at the University of Washington from 2009-12, when he coached a 1,000-yard rusher each year and added the title of associate head coach for offense prior to the 2012 campaign.
Thomas also has experience as running backs coach at Purdue (2006-08), Idaho (2004-05, also serving as co-offensive coordinator) and Louisville (2002-03). In 2007, the Boilermakers led the Big Ten in total offense and scoring offense. In 2008, tailback Kory Sheets rushed for 1,131 yards to become Purdue's first 1,000-yard rusher in six seasons. Thomas was also at Purdue from 2000-01, as a graduate assistant. In 2000, Drew Brees led the NCAA in total offense and won the Maxwell Award. The Boilermakers won the Big Ten and advanced to the Rose Bowl for the first time in 33 years.
Thomas lettered at running back at Idaho from 1993-98, where he was a two-time first-team All-Big West selection and conference Player of the Year as a senior and still holds Vandals career records with 3,929 rushing yards and 51 touchdowns on 765 attempts. He was inducted into the University of Idaho Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008 and into the North Idaho Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022. Thomas earned his bachelor's degree in public communications in 1998. He served as the head coach for the victorious American team for the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl.
Thomas and his wife, Ebbie, are the parents of two boys, Teyo and Niko.
PLAYING CAREER: Idaho, 1993-98.
COACHING CAREER: Purdue, 2000-01, 2006-08; Louisville, 2002-03; Idaho, 2004-05; University of Washington, 2009-12; Arkansas, 2013-14; New Orleans Saints, 2015-23, New York Giants, 2024; New Orleans Saints, 2025-.
