Thames Belfast

Belfast with the Chargers

## Career highlights:

* Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year
* First-team All-American
* Second-team All-Pac-12
* Rose Bowl MVP

**Thames Belfast** (born September 21) is a former American football strong safety of the National Football League (NFL) that played for 7 seasons. He played for the Minnesota Vikings for one season and the Los Angeles Chargers for 6 seasons. He played college football at Azur Lane before being drafted into the first round with the 26th pick by the Minnesota Vikings.

## Early life

Belfast was born in London, England, although he spent most of his childhood in Northern Ireland. In his early teens, he moved to Yorktown, Virginia, where he attended York High School and started for the varsity team his freshman year. In his first year, York went 7-3 and narrowly missed a trip to the State Championship, with Belfast racking 49 solo tackles, 67 combined tackles, 18 assists, and one sack. He also had one interception for 12 yards, 13 pass deflections, and one fumble recovery. He was named the best freshman strong safety in the country, and appeared on the Sports Illustrated cover. In his sophomore year, Belfast recorded 47 solo tackles, 62 combined tackles, 3.5 sacks, 21 assists, 10 pass deflects, one interception for 43 yards and a touchdown, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery for 5 yards.

Despite his success, Belfast announced that he would be switching to basketball beginning is junior year, rejecting early D1 offers from Alabama, LSU, Ohio State, and Notre Dame. He would play in one basketball game as a center before he fractured his leg and missed the entire season. Upon recovery, he switched back to football and played the entire season, earning 52 solo tackles, 67 combined tackles, 17 assists, 1 sack, 7 pass deflects, two interceptions for a total of 16 yards, and one fumble recovery for 32 yards and a touchdown. He was rated by Scout as a five-star recruit and by Rivals a four-star recruit. Belfast chose to play at Azur Lane over offers from LSU, Michigan, USC, UCLA, Princeton, and Wisconsin.

## College career

Belfast started for the Crimson Axis as a true freshman. The Axis, despite a tough schedule, proceeded to go 10-2 and won the Sugar Bowl against Texas State 18-12. Belfast totalled 65 solo tackles, 76 combined tackles, 2.5 sacks, 11 assists, 10 pass deflections, 1 interception, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries with one of them being a touchdown. Belfast was selected for a Second-team All-Pac-12. In his sophomore season, he would total 55 solo tackles, 78 combined tackles, 23 assists, 8 pass deflections, and one forced fumble. He received an honorable All-American mention, and an MVP in the Rose Bowl versus LSU. In his junior season, Belfast recorded 72 combined tackles, 52 solo tackles, 20 assists, 1.5 sacks, 8 pass deflections, one interception for 2 yards, and two forced fumbles. He received a First-team All-American and was named as the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. Belfast would then forgo his senior season to enter the NFL Draft.

## Professional career

Belfast was a highly rated prospect coming into the Draft, and was ranked on most major draft boards as the top strong safety and even the top defensive player. He would be drafted with the 26th overall pick by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round. Having almost dropped into the second round, it is likely that teams opted for other defensive players before Belfast due to his inconsistency in play and recent DUI resulting from the end of his junior season at Azur Lane.

### Seasons 1 and 2

Belfast was set to start in his first season, however he suffered a spine fracture during the preseason, and would miss 13 games. In Week 14 against division rivals Green Bay Packers, Belfast suffered a concussion while making a tackle. In the following two weeks, Belfast recorded 18 combined tackles, 15 solo, two assists, and one pass deflection. He was later traded to the Los Angeles Chargers for a second-round pick and a third-round pick. In his second season, Belfast was once again plagued with injury as he suffered a season-ending ACL tear during practice.

### Seasons 3 and 4

In his third season, Belfast made his first starting debut with the Chargers in Week 1 versus the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Chargers emerged victorious 28-25, and Belfast recorded 7 solo tackles, 12 combined tackles, 5 assists, 3 pass deflects, and one interception. Unfortunately, this would be his last game of the season, as during practice in preparation for Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens, Belfast slipped and bumped his head into a metal pole, causing a skull fracture. Belfast would not be the starter for the next season with constant fear about his longevity and injury. As the second-string, Belfast appeared in two games for a total of 3 solo tackles, 4 combined tackles, one assist, and two pass deflections. In his second game in Week 7 versus the Tennessee Titans, he would break his leg. In Week 16, he would return, and suffer a subsequent ankle sprain. He did not appear for the rest of the season, as the Chargers opted for third-string strong safety James Hamilton to backup instead.

### Seasons 5, 6, and 7

In Belfast's final three seasons, he would be demoted to a fourth-string strong safety. He appeared in three games, one in his sixth season and two in his seventh season. All three games resulted in no statistics. Belfast would face a contract reduction of at least $19 million in his sixth season following his rookie contract, and would be put at the top of the cut list proceeding his seventh season. The Chargers would ultimately cut Belfast. Although Belfast never announced retirement, it is unlikely that he will ever play in the NFL again. He is regarded as one of the largest defensive draft busts due to his high position in the draft and what the Chargers gave up to trade for him, and his subsequent injury-filled career and inability to hold the starting job.

## Personal life

Belfast is the son of NFL Hall of Famer Quid Belfast. His uncle is Michael Edinburgh, who also played in the NFL.