Thomas Laverne James Jr. (September 16, 1923 – February 7, 2007) was an American football defensive back and punter who played for Ohio State University and the Cleveland Browns in the 1940s and 1950s.

He was born in Canton, Ohio and attended Massillon Washington High School, where he played as a back on the football team under head coach Paul Brown.

After a three-year stint in the U.S. Army during World War II, James returned to play a final season at Ohio State in 1946.

James spent eight seasons in Cleveland, playing as a defensive halfback on five championship teams, including two in the AAFC in the late 1940s and three in the NFL in the 1950s.

[1] The oldest of five children, one of his younger brothers included Don James, a Hall of Fame coach for Kent State and the University of Washington.

[4] James attended Ohio State University starting in 1941, the same year Brown was hired as the school's head football coach.

[5] Ohio State finished the season with a 9–1 win–loss record and won its first-ever college football national championship.

[13] He started at right defensive halfback in 1948 opposite Tommy Colella and intercepted four passes as the Browns went 15–0 and won the All-America Football Conference championship.

[19] James intercepted five passes and recovered two fumbles in 1953 and was selected for the Pro Bowl, the NFL's annual all-star game.

[23] James had worked in the offseason as a sporting goods salesman and had an offer to join a trucking firm, but said he wanted to continue his football career for one more year.

[17] He had three sons, Tom, who resides in Michigan, Robert, who also went into the trucking business, and Mike who became the head track coach at Massillon Washington.