Solomon Thomas is a professional football player who plays in the National Basketball League. Furthermore, the prominent NFL team San Francisco 49ers drafted him.
The footballer was recently drafted in the 2017 NFL Draft. Moreover, he was the first-round pick.
Besides that, he played collegiate football at Stanford University. The 49ers player was an excellent defensive tackle for the Stanford Cardinals.
Correspondingly, he received well-deserved attention and praise from several media outlets and recruiters. Although Thomas has had a brief career in the NFL, he is quite famous for his defensive skills.
Likewise, he is one of the most hard-working players in the league. Similarly, the athlete has a great work ethic and self-discipline. His dedication to football is commendable.
Eventually, he pursued it as a career and is pretty successful so far. Aside from that, the NFL player is an active advocate for the importance of mental health.
[Trigger Warning: The following article contains details about sexual assault and suicide that a lot of readers may find emotionally challenging and difficult to read.]
Before getting into details about the 49ers’ defensive tackle’s life and career, here are some quick facts about him.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Solomon Christopher Thomas |
| Birth Date | August 26, 1995 |
| Birth Place | Chicago, Illinois, the United States |
| Nick Name | Solly |
| Religion | Christian |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African American |
| Education | Stanford University |
| Horoscope | Virgo |
| Father’s Name | Chris Thomas |
| Mother’s Name | Martha Thomas |
| Siblings | One; Ella Elizabeth Thomas |
| Age | 30 Years Old |
| Height | 6 feet 3 inches |
| Weight | 280 lb (127 kg) |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Brown |
| Build | Athletic |
| Profession | NBA Player |
| Current Team | San Francisco 49ers |
| Position | Defensive Tackle |
| Active Years | 2017 – Present |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Girlfriend | Elle Grunwald |
| Kids | None |
| Net Worth | Over $20 million |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
| San Francisco 49ers’ Merch | Jersey, Hoodie, Sweatshirt |
| Last Update | May, 2026 |
Solomon Thomas | Early Life, Family, And Education
Solomon Thomas was born in Chicago, Illinois, the United States. His parents are Chris Thomas and Martha Thomas.
Furthermore, his father was a pre-law student who graduated from The College of Wooster. He was the first person in his family to attend and graduate college.
Hence, he always taught the importance of education to his kids. Besides that, Chris and his brother were big sports fans.
As a result, he always encouraged his children to take part in physical activities. From taking part in different physical activities, Solomon’s journey to NFL started.
The defensive tackle’s mother was equally supportive of him and his career. Moreover, he also had a sister named Ella Thomas, who played basketball.
The siblings were very close. As their father’s job required them to move a lot, the two were each other’s best friends.
The Thomas family resided in Chicago, Sydney, Stamford, and finally Settled in Dallas. Currently, Chris is a chief customer officer at Diversity Distribution.
On top of that, he is the vice president of sales and marketing at Galactic Performance Solutions. Meanwhile, Martha taught Social Studies at Coppell Middle School North.
Aside from that, he attended Coppell High School, where he played high school football. The athlete was an outstanding player for the Coppell Cowboys.
As a result, the NFL player received scholarship offers from various reputed schools. Eventually, Solly set his heart on Stanford University.
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Sister’s Death And Mental Health Awareness
The athlete lost his sister to depression and suicide in 2018. She had shot herself in the chest with a gun at a friend’s residence.
Ella was always an anxious kid, as described by her family. Hence, mood swings were not uncommon for her.
However, she wasn’t the same when she was gang-raped in college at a frat party. The former elite student dropped out of college following that incident.
Furthermore, she tried to report the incident to the officials, who turned a blind eye. Solomon believes that the lack of officials’ concerns may have led her to believe it was her fault.
On top of that, it took her two years to finally share her sexual assault story with her mother and three years with Solly. Besides that, losing her friends to drug overdose and depression didn’t help her either.
The NFL player describes his sister as the light of his life. He elaborates how she had such a big heart. Before her suicide, she sent out a message to her friends struggling with depression.
Hence, he hopes to keep her memory alive and doesn’t want her death to be in vain. As of now, the Thomas family is committed to raising awareness about mental illness and ending the stigma around it.
They participated in Walk Out of Darkness fundraiser. The fundraiser helped raise money for American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Likewise, the 49ers player gave an emotional tribute to his sister at the AFSP Gala. He shared her journey with depression, intending to help people dealing with it.
Solomon Thomas | Age, Height, And Weight
The NFL player recently turned 25 years old on August 26, 2020. As an athlete, he takes great care of his health and diet. Moreover, he follows a proper workout routine on a daily basis.
Hence, Thomas is quite fit and has a toned physique. Furthermore, he is 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 280 lb, i.e., 127 kg.
Solomon Thomas | Football Career
High School And College Career
The footballer played high school football for the Coppell Cowboys. Moreover, he had an exceptional senior year where he had 78 tackles.
As a result, many considered Thomas a four-star recruit and a top player in his class. Following his high school graduation, he chose to attend Stanford University.
With the Stanford Cardinals, he played many successful games. He redshirted the first year. However, the athlete was unbeatable in his sophomore year.
Solomon was an honorable mention of All-Pac-12 selection and first-team All-Pac-12. Furthermore, he was the recipient of the Morris Trophy.
After his junior year, he chose not to continue his collegiate football journey. Instead, he decided to enter the 2017 NFL Draft.
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NFL Career
When he entered the 2017 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers selected him in the first round. Moreover, he was the third pick overall.
The NFL player signed a $28.14 million deal with the 49ers, including $18.61 million as a signing bonus. He was an outstanding defense for the team during the four years.
After the fourth year, San Francisco declined his fifth-year contract option. Hence, Solomon is a free agent as of now.
Currently, he is not playing for any team in the 2021 NFL Draft because of a torn ACL. The footballer has been on the injured list since September of 2020.
Stats
As per his stats, he has played 65 games, and his approximate value amounts to 17. Furthermore, he has made 9.5 sacks, and his solo tackles are 90.
Learn more about his stats and kick return on ESPN.
Solomon Thomas | Girlfriend, Wife, and Kids
Thomas is currently dating Elle Grunwald. The couple met somewhere in 2019 and have been inseparable since then.
They officially confirmed their relationship when Grunwald attended one of his games. Furthermore, the couple couldn’t keep their hands off each other at the game.
Currently, Elle is working as a fertility benefits specialist at Carrot Fertility. Besides that, she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas Christian University.
Previously, she had worked as a Physician Recruiter for The Delta Companies. Furthermore, she has volunteered for Crossroad Community services and TangoTab to provide a meal to Dallas families.
As per her Instagram posts, she shares a lot of beautiful pictures with NBA players. Aside from that, she is quite fashion-forward.
At the present moment, the couple is focused on their respective careers. However, with their love and affection, wedding bells and baby cries might not be that far.
Solomon Thomas | Net Worth And Salary
The defensive tackle has earned most of his wealth amount through the National Football League. Moreover, he has earned over $28 million in salary from the 49ers.
Solomon’s net worth estimation is over $20 million. Correspondingly, his salary in 2026 was over $4 million.
Besides that, the NFL player earns a fair amount through sponsorships. Likewise, many well-known brands and companies endorse him.
Hence, it is safe to say that the athlete leads a very comfortable life. Furthermore, he likes to go on lavish vacations with his girlfriend. He recently traveled to Itlay with her.
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Solomon Thomas | Social Media Presence
The footballer is quite active on social media platforms. Hence, he has an Instagram account with 93.8 thousand followers.
He usually shares pictures of himself and his teammates on the field. Besides that, he uses his platform to raise awareness about mental health issues.
The athlete also shares his own story about his sister’s battle with depression. Moreover, he continuously works to end the shame around mental health disorders.
Furthermore, he loves to share pictures of his parents. The mom and dad are seen attending his games on his Instagram handle.
The player also has adorable pictures with his girlfriend. Aside from that, he has a Twitter handle with 35.3 thousand followers.
The defensive tackle is relatively less active on Twitter. Nevertheless, he has over 14 thousand tweets.
The former Stanford player mostly shares and tweets football-related news and highlights. Likewise, many high-profile players and celebrities follow him.
Thomas also remembers his late sister through his Twitter account. Correspondingly, he shares his profile picture with her and constantly posts their childhood pictures.
Solomon Thomas | FAQs
Is Solomon Thomas injured?
Currently, he is not playing due to a torn ACL. Nevertheless, the player is expected to get back on the field by the 2022 NFL season.
What number is Solomon Thomas?
The NFL player is the number 94 with the San Francisco 49ers. Besides that, he wore jersey number 90 while representing the Stanford Cardinals.
