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Some football players have dreams of setting records and leaving lasting legacies at their programs. Developing into a player worthy of the Athletics Hall of Fame or Ring of Honor tops their list of career goals.
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Former N.C. State offensive lineman Joe Thuney was just happy to be here.
“I was just pumped to have a scholarship,” Thuney said on Saturday. “I couldn’t believe I got to go to college for free; free housing was awesome and a meal plan. I was like, ‘This is incredible.’
“Grateful for everything here.”
He’s come a long way since moving to Raleigh as a two-star recruit, ranked No. 122 at his position.
Thuney became the 15th member of the Wolfpack’s Ring of Honor, joining all-time greats including Jim Ritcher and head-coach-to-be Philip Rivers.
The Dayton, Ohio, native credited Don Horton, the late N.C. State offensive line coach, for his recruitment and development. Horton saw Thuney’s promise long before he did.
“(Horton) visited me in Ohio, and I remember he would come to my basketball games after football season,” Thuney said. “(He was) such a dedicated, passionate man, and great family, and just felt very comfortable with him. I really liked what you know he had to say. I visited Raleigh a couple times, and I was just hooked. Very thankful for him.”
Thuney, alongside Garrett Bradbury, is part of a group that set the standard for the offensive line. Entering 2026 training camp, seven former N.C. State offensive linemen were on NFL rosters.
“That’s a gentleman that’s done everything the right way,” interim head coach Todd Goebbel said on Monday. “He’s a great person. He’s a tremendous football player. Has had one heck of a career in the NFL. I don’t know him that well personally. Met him once, but everyone I’ve ever talked to, he’s exactly what a Wolfpack football player is. He’s humble, he’s talented, he’s gracious, he gives back, and, at the end of the day, he plays at a high level.”
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Thuney played at N.C. State from 2011 to 2015, remaining with the program when Dave Doeren was hired in 2013. As a senior, he was the first offensive lineman in 36 years to earn All-America recognition and the first N.C. State player in 12 years to receive First Team All-ACC honors. Thuney played every snap against ACC opponents and didn’t allow a sack that season. He appeared in 40 games with the Wolfpack.
Off the field, Thuney received his bachelor’s degree in accounting/financial analysis and earned All-ACC Academic Honors, including four straight Honor Roll nods. He has since earned his MBA.
New England selected Thuney in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft and earned a starting job in fall camp. He started every game that season, including the Super Bowl. He was the first player in NFL history to start in a Super Bowl in each of his first three seasons, and won two with the Patriots.
He also won a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022. Thuney added to his ring collection in 2023 after winning the Super Bowl, though he did not play due to injury.
Thuney was traded to the Chicago Bears in 2025 and won the NFL’s first Protector of the Year award.
He is a five-time All-Pro selection and four-time Pro Bowler.
“It’s so cool seeing guys get drafted really high,” Thuney said. “You see more and more N.C. State guys after a lot of games. It’s another N.C. State guy, another N.C. State guy. It’s fun to see the program grow and its guys be successful. Very grateful to say I came from here.”
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