Consistency and reliability get you the big bucks in the NFL and if you want to see living proof of that, look no further than offensive tackle, Joe Thomas. Thomas began his sports career playing many positions on the football field throughout high school including defensive end, tight end, fullback, right tackle, and even punter. After receiving praise for performance in sports and as a four-year honor roll academic, Thomas took his talents to the University of Wisconsin where he played from 2003-2006. Again, during his four-season tenure at Wisconsin, Thomas played multiple positions including blocking tight end, left tackle, and defensive end. By the time he got to his senior year, he was named one of the offensive team captain.
In the 2007 NFL Draft, Joe Thomas was selected 3rd overall by the Cleveland Browns where he played his entire eleven-season career. The first ten seasons of his career, Thomas was invited to the Pro Bowl every year. He also didn't miss a single down within that time frame as well making his 10,363 consecutive snaps played the longest streak in NFL history since the league started recording snaps in 1999. With durability like that the Browns offered Thomas a seven-year extension worth $80.5 million in 2011. In 2017, he signed an additional contract worth $26.5 million for two years of service. However, a torn tricep ended his career that same year leaving him with $122.9 million in earnings total. We're sure he's ok. Matter of fact, Google him right now. You might not recognize him at all.
When you fly by private jet charter, you experience travel comfort known only to those who know private jets. And nothing illustrates this luxury better than celebrity private jets. Stars with their own private aircraft fly fancy.
John Travolta, the star of 70s cult movies like “Grease” and “Saturday Night Fever”, is not only one of the most famous Hollywood actors, but also one of the best celebrity pilots. John Travolta is a bonafide aviation enthusiast with five private planes total, which he parks on his front lawn. His most impressive aircraft is a customized Boeing 707-138 (as pictured above), a beast of a plane that he acquired in 1998 upon his promotion to an honorary pilot of Qantas, the Australian airline.
Oprah Winfrey’s production company HARPO bought her custom-built Global Express XRS VIP business jet to provide the media mogul and her associates with maximum aviation comfort. Oprah’s private jet features designer fixtures in the bathroom and galley, along with an exquisite all-leather interior. The aircraft was designed by Bombardier Aerospace to perform as a premier long-range business jet. Custom design allowed for an enhanced cabin layout with nine cushy leather seats, aesthetically-placed lighting, and additional luxury amenities. The jet cruises through the air at high speeds, made possible by two Rolls-Royce BR710 turbofan engines, which produce enough power to send HARPO clear across the map with only one refuel stop
Tom Cruise played an elite naval fighter jet pilot in the blockbuster movie “Top Gun”, and he now indulges his real love for flying in his own Gulfstream IV, one of the finest celebrity private jets around. Cruise’s beautiful business jet accommodates up to 19 passengers, providing comfort and class with state-of-the-art furnishings and aircraft technology. The jet even automatically refreshes the air inside the cabin every two minutes. Designed by Gulfstream Aerospace, Cruise’s jet is powered by two Rolls-Royce Tay 611-8 engines, propelling the aircraft to a maximum altitude of 45,000 feet over a maximum range of 7,820 km, zipping through the air at speeds up to Mach 0.80.
Mark Cuban, business mogul and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, landed himself in the Guinness Book of World Records for purchasing his Boeing 767-277 online in 1999, making “the largest single e-commerce transaction”. Cuban modified the jet with large, custom seats to give his team’s lengthy players plenty of room while flying.