Solomon Thomas has played in the NFL for seven seasons as a Defensive Lineman. He was the No. 3 overall player taken in the 2017 NFL draft and played his first four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, which reached Super Bowl LIV in 2020. After a stint with the Las Vegas Raiders, Solomon joined the New York Jets, where he remains on the active roster and has been nominated for two consecutive years for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.
Off the field, Solomon has dedicated his life to sharing the story of his sister, Ella, who committed suicide at the age of 24 after a long battle with anxiety and depression. He is the co-founder and board chair of The Defensive Line, a nonprofit organization with a mission of ending the epidemic of youth suicide, especially for young people of color, by transforming the way we communicate and connect about mental health. Solomon received the 2023 Heisman Humanitarian Award through the Heisman Trophy Trust for his efforts with the organization.
Solomon has worked with a myriad of other nonprofit organizations to raise awareness and secure funds for mental health and suicide prevention work.
He participated in the announcement of the new 988 Suicide Prevention Hotline in a national campaign, served on a panel for Paramount+ Global, and continues to work with the NFL to improve mental health programming in the league. He has been an impactful keynote speaker and panel member at numerous events focused on suicide prevention, and was also the recipient of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s 2019 Lifesaver Award along with his parents, Martha and Chris.