De'Anthony Thomas facts for kids
Thomas with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019
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| Position: | Wide receiver Return specialist |
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | January 5, 1993 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 176 lb (80 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Crenshaw (Los Angeles) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Oregon | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2014 / Round: 4 / Pick: 124 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
De'Anthony Marquies Thomas is an American football player. He was born on January 5, 1993. He played as a wide receiver and a return specialist. He played college football for the Oregon Ducks. Later, he was chosen by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2014 NFL Draft. He also played for the Baltimore Ravens. He is currently a free agent.
Early Life and High School Football
De'Anthony Thomas started playing football at a young age. When he was 12, he was a star in Pop Warner Football. He played for the Crenshaw Bears in a league started by the famous rapper Snoop Dogg. Snoop Dogg reportedly gave Thomas the nickname "Black Mamba."
Thomas went to Crenshaw High School in Los Angeles, California. He was a very versatile player there. He played as a running back, a defensive back, and a wide receiver. He helped lead Crenshaw to two city championships. He was considered one of the best high school athletes in the country.
Track and Field Achievements
Besides football, Thomas was also a talented sprinter. He was named an All-American in 2013 for his speed in the 4x100 meter relay at the University of Oregon. In high school, he won several championships in the 100-meter and 200-meter races. His fastest time for the 100 meters was 10.25 seconds. For the 200 meters, it was 20.39 seconds.
College Football Career
De'Anthony Thomas was one of the most sought-after high school football players in 2011. Many people thought he would play for USC, which was close to his home. However, he surprised everyone by choosing to attend the University of Oregon. He wanted to play offense in college. He joined the Oregon Ducks and their fast-paced "blur offense."
Amazing Freshman Season (2011)
Thomas had an incredible first year at Oregon in 2011. He played both running back and wide receiver. He also returned kickoffs and punts. He gained a total of 2,235 all-purpose yards. He scored 18 touchdowns, which set a new school record for a freshman. He was the only college player that year to gain over 400 yards in rushing, receiving, and returns.
In the 2012 Rose Bowl, Thomas had an amazing game. He scored two touchdowns and gained 314 all-purpose yards. Oregon won the game 45-38. One of his touchdown runs was 91 yards, which broke a Rose Bowl record.
Continued Success (2012-2013)
Thomas continued to be a key player for the Ducks in 2012. He rushed for 701 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also caught passes for 445 yards and 5 touchdowns. He returned a 94-yard kickoff for a touchdown in the 2013 Fiesta Bowl. Oregon won that game 35-17. He was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated in September 2012. The magazine called him "Can't Touch DAT" because he was so hard to tackle.
In his junior year (2013), Thomas was considered for several major awards. He scored eight rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown that season. On January 5, 2014, he decided to leave college early to enter the NFL Draft.
College Awards and Honors
- 2011: Pac-12 Co-Offensive Freshman of the Year, All-Pac-12 First-team, Freshman All-America.
- 2012: 2nd Team All-America, Maxwell Award Semifinalist (for College Player of the Year).
- 2013: Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week.
Professional Football Career
De'Anthony Thomas was chosen by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL draft. He was the 124th player picked overall.
Time with the Kansas City Chiefs
2014 Season: A Strong Start
In his first year with the Chiefs, Thomas was expected to play a special role. He was a mix of a wide receiver and a running back. He also returned punts. In a preseason game, he returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown. During the regular season, he rushed for 113 yards and one touchdown. He also caught 23 passes for 156 yards. He returned a punt 81 yards for a touchdown against the Oakland Raiders. He ended the season with 405 punt return yards. He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.
2015-2018 Seasons: Changing Roles
In 2015, Thomas became a full-time wide receiver. His playing time changed, but he still scored two touchdowns. In 2016, his role as a return specialist decreased. This was because a new player, Tyreek Hill, became the main returner. Thomas started playing more as a "gunner" on special teams. This means he ran down the field quickly to tackle opponents during punts and kickoffs.
In 2017, Thomas became more involved in the offense when another player was injured. He had 143 yards on 14 catches and scored two touchdowns. He continued to be a gunner on special teams. In 2018, he re-signed with the Chiefs. He played in 5 games but was injured during practice. He scored a one-yard touchdown pass against the Los Angeles Chargers.
2019 Season: Final Year with Chiefs
Thomas re-signed with the Chiefs again in 2019. He had a small role in the offense. However, he continued to be a return specialist. He returned 7 kickoffs for 155 yards and 13 punts for 55 yards. He was released by the Chiefs in October 2019.
Playing for the Baltimore Ravens
In November 2019, Thomas signed with the Baltimore Ravens. He became their main return specialist for the rest of the season. He returned 10 kickoffs for 166 yards and 13 punts for 93 yards. He also played in a playoff game for the Ravens.
Thomas re-signed with the Ravens in March 2020. However, he chose not to play in the 2020 NFL season. He was released by the Ravens in January 2021.
Time with the BC Lions
On February 1, 2022, De'Anthony Thomas signed with the BC Lions. This team plays in the Canadian Football League. However, he did not show up for rookie training camp in May 2022. He was officially released by the team in February 2024.
