NFL Record-Setting Kicker Turned Illinois Supreme Court Justice with Bob Thomas

Today on The Servant Leadership Podcast, we’re joined by Bob Thomas—an NFL record-setting kicker turned Illinois Supreme Court Justice. Bob spent over a decade in the NFL, including 10 seasons with the Chicago Bears, where he became one of the Bears' all-time leading scorers.

After football, Bob's journey took an unexpected turn. He pursued law, eventually serving as a Justice on the Illinois Supreme Court—and even becoming Chief Justice.

In this episode, Bob shares what it was like playing for Mike Ditka and alongside Walter Payton, whose impact went far beyond the game. Bob also shares an extremely personal story about Walter Payton—one that gave him a whole new understanding of what it means to be a servant leader. Bob also opens up about leading under pressure, making tough calls, and how faith shaped his leadership on the field and in the courtroom. If you’ve ever faced setbacks, tough choices, or moments that tested your character, Bob’s story will challenge you to lead with integrity under pressure.

Timestamps:

00:00 Bob Thomas's Intro

01:03 Welcome Bob Thomas

01:17 Bob Explains How He Ended Up On The Chicago Bears

03:50 Playing With Teammates Like Walter Payton

05:08 Walter Payton and Servant Leadership

07:26 Staying Humble With Fame

09:34 Memories of Playing In The NFL

13:45 Dealing With Getting Cut

15:04 From Football to The Illinois Supreme Court

17:39 Illinois Supreme Court Explained

19:16 Servant Leadership as a Judge And Justice

21:15 Handling "Tough" Cases

24:06 Disagreements on Supreme Court Cases

25:07 "Built To Handle Pressure"

26:37 Different Stages of Life

27:55 Approach to Watching Football

29:37 Focus On The Kickers or The Game?

30:43 Following Court Cases

31:36 Counseling/Coaching Kickers

32:34 10-Rapid-Fire Questions

35:27 Closing

More information on Bob Thomas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_R._Thomas

Servant Leadership:

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