Began his career in DISD as teacher at G. W. Carver in 1958, teacher at H. S. Thompson, head football coach and athletic director at Lincoln H.S., Pearl C. Anderson, James Madison H.S. and F. D. Roosevelt. H.S. Served as assistant athletic director of the DISD Athletic Department. In 1992, he was appointed Assistant Superintendent of Athletics and retired in 2000. The football field at P.C. Cobb Athletic Complex was named Robert Thomas Athletic Field in his honor in 2005.