It was a homecoming this offseason for defensive tackle Solomon Thomas when he signed with the Dallas Cowboys in free agency.
The former No. 3 overall pick and Stanford alum is a native of Coppell, Texas, less than 30 minutes away from the AT&T Stadium in Arlington and even closer to the team's HQ in Frisco.
Now ahead of mandatory minicamp, Thomas is giving back to the community that raised him by hosting his sixth annual youth camp. The event is completely free to attend and promotes mental health development along with football skills.
The camp, put on by Thomas' foundation The Defensive Line, was hosted at his alma mater Coppell High School Saturday. The eight-year NFL vet spoke to the kids about what it means for him to be back in his hometown and hosting this year's camp.
"I appreciate y'all being here," Thomas said. "This is the field I grew up on. So, being back here, being able to have fun with you guys, have a full day of football drills, talk about mental health, talk about life, means the world to me..."
Thomas originally got the idea to host his camp from a former teammate on the San Francisco 49ers. He always hosted it in Coppell earlier in his NFL career, but he mentioned how this season is extra special now that he is a member of the Cowboys.
"It means the world, it's been a dream come true coming home to play," Thomas said. "Being a Dallas Cowboy now, and it meaning more to the community, I know that Cowboy name, that star holds a lot of weight. And so I want to honor that with how I impact these kids, how I impact this community, and how I play on the field."
Thomas has always been a big proponent of mental health in sports, leading him to include meditation practices and conversations about important life topics during his camp. He has partnered with Cowboys QB Dak Prescott and his foundation in promoting similar messages.
"It's important for me because I've been impacted by mental health. I lost my sister to suicide, and it took me through my own mental health journey," Thomas said. "I learned first-hand the importance of mental health and how it can affect you if you don't take care of it and if you believe these misconceptions about mental health."
Thomas joins the Cowboys as a seasoned veteran with the opportunity to mentor many of the Cowboys' young defensive linemen. Some of them joined in coaching Saturday's camp, showing the immediate bond Thomas has fostered with his new teammates.
"Being new to a team, you want to come in being gentle," Thomas said. "I've learned that over my time, so I'm not going out there being the loudest one, but I want to show them how I work and how to finish. I want to show them there's a standard that we're going to uphold, and we're going to do it every day, and I want to earn my leadership."
Thomas is expected to fill a rotational role at 3-tech lineman with Osa Odighizuwa on the field, but his impact on his teammates and the Dallas community goes beyond the game of football.
