LSU’s Jhase Thomas Knows Louisiana Football Culture – His Dad Was A Saint On An Historic Night 20 Years Ago

By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor

LSU safety Jhase Thomas was not born yet, but he knows the story.

His dad, former New Orleans Saints cornerback Fred Thomas, was in the Louisiana Superdome 20 years ago just last week when the Saints made a triumphant return to the city against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football after 13 months after Hurricane Katrina.

The Saints had to evacuate New Orleans for their home games in 2005 post-Katrina, playing the opener at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, three strangely in San Antonio, where then owner Tom Benson owned car dealerships and tried to move the team, and four in Tiger Stadium, which was against Benson’s demands.

After NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue made sure it happened, the Saints returned to New Orleans to stay for the 2006 season and opened the home season on Monday, Sept. 25, 2006, against rival Atlanta. In the opening moments of the game, Steve Gleason blocked a Falcons’ punt, and Curtis Deloatch recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown and 7-0 lead as the dome erupted louder than perhaps at any time in its history that began in 1975. The Saints went on to win 23-3, and a statue of the blocked punt was later erected just outside the dome.

Fred Thomas started 13 games at cornerback that season for the Saints, who went 10-6, beat Philadelphia in the dome in the playoffs and reached the NFC title game before losing at Chicago. A second round pick out of Tennessee-Martin by Seattle in 1995, Thomas played from 2000-07 for the Saints.

His journey is his journey I’m just blessed to have a front seat at each performance 💪🏾💪🏾🔥🔥 https://t.co/LfPVH2sdcM

— Fred Thomas (@fredlthomas) March 27, 2024

His son Jhase was born on July 13, 2007, and later played for Destrehan High outside New Orleans and signed with LSU in 2025 as the No. 33 safety in the nation and No. 14 player in Louisiana.

“It means a lot to me to play here,” Thomas said during player interviews Tuesday. “Coming out of high school in Destrehan, I knew the significance around being born and raised in Louisiana and coming to LSU. It means a lot for me and my family to play at this school and in this state.”

Thomas, a redshirt freshman, started for the first time for LSU last Saturday against Texas A&M at safety. He made three tackles with a pass breakup in the Tigers’ 35-6 win and is expected to start again Saturday when the No. 11 Tigers (3-1, 1-1 SEC) host McNeese State (2-3, 1-2 Southland Conference) at 6:45 p.m. on the SEC Network.

“Dad said don’t let the moment be too big. ‘Don’t think too much. Don’t think too hard. It can be just like backyard football,'” Jhase said. “He raised my my whole life. Taught me how to play th egame from a little boty all the way to now. He’s letting me go on my own now. He does correct me at times.”

Thomas is key to LSU’s revamped defense that lost star position player Dashawn Spears for the season at the Ole Miss game on Sept. 19. Safety Ty Benefield moved to Spears’ position, and Thomas took Benefield’s spot.

“The opportunity was presented to me, and obviously I had to step up to the plate and do what I’ve been doing my whole life,” Thomas said.

Thomas said Benefield, a fifth-year senior, and junior starting safety Tamarcus Cooley helped him prepare.

“Having a bunch of veterans around me made it a whole lot easier,” he said. “It made me more confident on the field, so it was pretty easy for me to step up and do my 1 of 11 for the team. It doesn’t matter whether you’re first, second or third team, we’re all ready to play.”