| Jay Thomas | |
| Birth Date: | 18 October 1960 |
| Birth Place: | Baker, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Alma Mater: | Southern Mississippi |
| Coach Years1: | 1988–1989 |
| Coach Team1: | LSU (GA) |
| Coach Years2: | 1990–1992 |
| Coach Team2: | Nicholls State (DE) |
| Coach Years3: | 1993–1998 |
| Coach Team3: | Southeast Missouri State (DL) |
| Coach Years4: | 1999–2003 |
| Coach Team4: | Nicholls State (AHC/DC/DL) |
| Coach Years5: | 2004–2009 |
| Coach Team5: | Nicholls State |
| Coach Years6: | 2010–2011 |
| Coach Team6: | Northwestern State (DL) |
| Coach Years7: | 2012 |
| Coach Team7: | Missouri Southern (DC) |
| Coach Years8: | 2013–2017 |
| Coach Team8: | Northwestern State |
| Overall Record: | 48–71 |
| Tournament Record: | 0–1 (NCAA D-I-AA playoffs) |
| Championships: | 1 Southland (2005) |
| Awards: | Southland Coach of the Year (2005) |
Jay Thomas (born October 18, 1960) is a former American college football coach, previously serving as the head football coach at Northwestern State University, a position he held from December 2012 until November 2017. He held the same capacity at Nicholls State University from 2004 to 2009.[1] Thomas compiled an overall record of 48–71.
Thomas began his coaching career as a high school coach and subsequently served as an assistant coach at Louisiana State, Nicholls State and Southeast Missouri. He returned to Nicholls State as the defensive coordinator in 1999 and was elevated to the head coach position in 2004. Following his firing in 2009, Thomas spent two seasons as assistant head coach and defensive line coach at Northwestern State before becoming the defensive coordinator at Missouri Southern in 2012.
On December 20, 2012, Thomas was hired as the head coach at Northwestern State.[2] He was let go by Northwestern State after the 2017 football.[3]
Thomas is an alumnus of the University of Southern Mississippi.