Say it’s so, Joe? Wisconsin legend Joe Thomas not joining Badgers staff despite radio joke

Wisconsin interim football coach Jim Leonhard chats with reporters Tuesday about any changes that took place in the Badgers weekly schedule since Sunday with the dismissal of Paul Chryst.

Joe Thomas had a little fun with University of Wisconsin football fans Wednesday morning.

The UW Athletics Hall of Famer and former All-American left tackle insinuated during an interview on ESPN Radio’s “Wilde & Tausch” he may be taking a job within the Badgers football program as part of the transition after coach Paul Chryst was fired Sunday.

“We’re in discussions for a very high level, very high paying position, of course,” Thomas said, “but I can’t disclose that right now. You know how it is at a public university. They’ve got to post the job and yada, yada, yada, before they hand it to me.

“So I can’t say anything, but I feel like as far as evaluating talent and making sure we don’t get any more Mark Tauschers walking through that door so this program can head in the right direction, I think I’m the man for the job.”

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Tauscher is a former Badgers and Green Bay Packers right tackle who hosts the radio show with reporter Jason Wilde.

Thomas retired from the NFL after an 11-year career in 2017 and lives in the Madison area. Wilde asked Thomas if he was serious about pursuing a role in the program.

“I don’t know, Jason, I kind of like being a fan,” Thomas said. “I’m going to go to the homecoming game and have a few pops before it and I’m not going to worry about working. That’s kind of a good feeling. … I think somebody said there’s a price for everything, it’s just a matter of what it is. So if we can find that price, I get that job, it’s all about price discovery.”

Thomas told the State Journal after his interview on “Wilde & Tausch” that he’ll remain a fan of the Badgers and continue his work with The Varsity Collective, the name, image and likeness (NIL) collective supporting UW athletes. If Thomas was employed by the university, he couldn’t participate in the collective because NCAA rules regarding NIL activity state schools and their staffs cannot be involved in facilitating NIL payments or sponsorships.

Current, former players react to Paul Chryst’s firing as Wisconsin football coach

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