Demaryius Thomas facts for kids
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Thomas with the Denver Broncos in 2018
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| No. 88, 87, 18 | |||||||||||
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| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | December 25, 1987 Montrose, Georgia |
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| Died: | December 9, 2021 (aged 33) Roswell, Georgia |
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| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 225 lb (102 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | West Laurens (Dexter, Georgia) | ||||||||||
| College: | Georgia Tech (2006–2009) | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2010 / Round: 1 / Pick: 22 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
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Demaryius Antwon Thomas (December 25, 1987 – December 9, 2021) was an American football player. He was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons. He mostly played for the Denver Broncos. Demaryius played college football at Georgia Tech. The Broncos chose him in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. With the Broncos, Thomas was picked for the Pro Bowl four times. He also won Super Bowl 50 against the Carolina Panthers. He later played for the Houston Texans, New England Patriots, and New York Jets.
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Early Life and Family
Demaryius Thomas was born in Montrose, Georgia, on December 25, 1987. When he was a child, he grew up with his aunt and uncle. His uncle gave him the nickname "Bay Bay." Later, his mother and grandmother were able to be released and watch him play football. This was a very special moment for Demaryius.
High School Sports
Thomas went to West Laurens High School in Dexter, Georgia. He was a star athlete in three sports: basketball, football, and track. He played wide receiver for the Raiders football team.
As a junior in 2004, he caught 32 passes for 330 yards and three touchdowns. He was named an all-region player. In his senior year, he had 82 catches for 1,234 yards and ten touchdowns. After high school, he played in the North-South All-Star game.
Demaryius was also great at track and field. He finished fourth in the triple jump at the 2006 Georgia Olympics. He also ran the 100-meter dash in 10.99 seconds. He received scholarship offers from several colleges, including Georgia Tech.
College Football Career
Demaryius chose to go to the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). He studied management there. He sat out his first year (2006) as a redshirt freshman.
Starting Out (2007)
Thomas played his first college game in 2007 against Notre Dame. He caught one pass for nine yards. He scored his first college touchdown with a 56-yard pass against Virginia.
His best game that season was against Maryland. He caught nine passes for 139 yards and a touchdown. He finished the 2007 season with 35 catches for 558 yards and four touchdowns.
New Coach, New System (2008)
In 2008, a new coach, Paul Johnson, came to Georgia Tech. He used a special offense that focused a lot on running the ball. Demaryius thought about leaving, but he decided to stay.
Even with a run-heavy offense, Thomas was the team's top receiver. He had 39 catches for 627 yards and three touchdowns. On October 4, he caught nine passes for 230 yards against Duke. This was the second-most receiving yards in a single game in Georgia Tech history.
Breakout Season (2009)
Thomas had a fantastic senior year in 2009. He started strong with four catches for 101 yards against Jacksonville State. He had six catches for 133 yards and a touchdown against Miami.
Against Mississippi State, he caught eight passes for 174 yards and a touchdown. In a big rivalry game against Georgia, he had five catches for 127 yards and a touchdown.
Georgia Tech finished the regular season with a 10–2 record. They played in the ACC Championship Game against Clemson and won. Thomas scored a 70-yard receiving touchdown in that game.
Overall in 2009, Demaryius had 46 catches for 1,154 yards and eight touchdowns. He was named First-Team All-ACC. He ended his college career with 120 catches for 2,339 yards and 14 touchdowns. Many experts thought he was one of the top wide receivers for the upcoming NFL Draft.
College Statistics
| Season | Team | GP | Receiving | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | |||
| 2007 | Georgia Tech | 13 | 35 | 558 | 15.9 | 4 |
| 2008 | Georgia Tech | 12 | 39 | 627 | 16.1 | 3 |
| 2009 | Georgia Tech | 14 | 46 | 1,154 | 25.1 | 8 |
| Career | 39 | 120 | 2,339 | 19.5 | 15 | |
Professional Football Career
The Denver Broncos chose Demaryius Thomas as the 22nd overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. He was the first wide receiver picked that year.
Denver Broncos
Rookie Season (2010)
In his first NFL game, Thomas caught eight passes for 97 yards and a touchdown. This helped the Broncos beat the Seattle Seahawks 31–14. His first touchdown was a 21-yard catch from quarterback Kyle Orton.
A highlight was when he scored a 17-yard touchdown against star cornerback Darrelle Revis. However, injuries kept him from playing in many games during his rookie year. He finished with 22 catches for 283 yards and two touchdowns.
Overcoming Injuries (2011)
In 2011, Thomas tore his Achilles tendon, a serious injury. He was expected to miss most of the season. But he worked hard in rehab and returned surprisingly quickly.
He broke his pinkie finger in his first practice back, missing the first five games. He made his season debut in Week 7 against the Miami Dolphins. He caught a touchdown pass from quarterback Tim Tebow.
Thomas ended the regular season with 32 catches for 551 yards and four touchdowns. He became Tebow's favorite target.
In the playoffs, Thomas made a huge play. In the Wild Card Round, he caught an 80-yard game-winning touchdown pass from Tebow. This happened on the first play of overtime against the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was the fastest ending to an overtime game in NFL history. Thomas had 204 receiving yards in that game, a Broncos playoff record.
Breakout Year (2012)
In 2012, star quarterback Peyton Manning joined the Broncos. Thomas worked hard to improve his skills and connect with Manning. Manning noticed Thomas's "size, strength and speed."
In the first game of the season, Thomas caught a 71-yard touchdown pass from Manning against the Pittsburgh Steelers. This was Manning's 400th career touchdown pass. Thomas finished that game with 110 yards and a touchdown.
He had a career-high nine catches for 180 yards against the New England Patriots. Thomas had a fantastic year, with 94 catches for 1,434 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was chosen for his first Pro Bowl.
Record-Breaking Season (2013)
Thomas continued to shine in 2013. In Week 1, he had 161 yards and two touchdowns against the Baltimore Ravens. One touchdown was a 78-yard catch. This was part of a game where Peyton Manning threw seven touchdowns, tying an NFL record.
Thomas had another great game against the San Diego Chargers, with seven catches, 108 yards, and three touchdowns. He also caught Manning's 55th touchdown pass of the season, which set a new NFL record.
He finished the 2013 season with 92 catches for 1,430 yards and 14 touchdowns. His 14 touchdowns were the most among all wide receivers in the NFL. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl again and named to the All-Pro team.
In the playoffs, Thomas scored a touchdown in every game. In Super Bowl XLVIII, he set a Super Bowl record with 13 catches for 118 yards and a touchdown. However, the Broncos lost to the Seattle Seahawks.
Another Amazing Year (2014)
On October 5, 2014, Thomas broke a Broncos franchise record. He had eight catches for 226 yards and two touchdowns against the Arizona Cardinals. One touchdown was an 86-yard catch, his longest ever.
On October 19, he caught Peyton Manning's record-breaking 509th career touchdown pass. Thomas finished the 2014 season with a career-high 111 catches for 1,619 yards. He was named to his third straight Pro Bowl.
Super Bowl Champion (2015)
In 2015, Thomas signed a big five-year contract extension with the Broncos. His production dropped a little because Peyton Manning was dealing with an injury. Still, Thomas had 105 catches for 1,304 yards and six touchdowns.
The Broncos finished the season 12–4 and earned the top spot in the AFC playoffs. They defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New England Patriots to reach Super Bowl 50. In the Super Bowl, they beat the Carolina Panthers 24–10, giving Thomas his first Super Bowl title!
Consistent Performer (2016-2017)
After Manning retired, the Broncos had new quarterbacks. Thomas remained a key player. In 2016, he had his fifth straight season with over 1,000 receiving yards. He finished with 90 catches for 1,083 yards and five touchdowns. He was selected for the 2017 Pro Bowl.
In 2017, Thomas continued to be a strong receiver for the Broncos. He led the team with 83 catches for 949 yards and five touchdowns.
Final Broncos Season (2018)
In the first four games of 2018, Thomas had 20 catches for 168 yards and a touchdown. In Week 5, he had his best game of the season with 105 yards and a touchdown against the New York Jets.
Houston Texans
On October 30, 2018, the Broncos traded Thomas to the Houston Texans. In his first game with the Texans, he played against his old team, the Broncos. He had three catches for 61 yards in a Texans victory.
In Week 12, he caught two touchdowns against the Tennessee Titans. However, he suffered a torn Achilles tendon injury in Week 16, which ended his season. He was released by the Texans in February 2019.
New England Patriots and New York Jets
On April 16, 2019, Thomas signed with the New England Patriots. He was released before the season started but then re-signed a few days later. He never played a regular-season game for the Patriots.
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On September 10, 2019, Thomas was traded to the New York Jets. He played in 11 games for the Jets, catching 36 passes for 433 yards and one touchdown. He scored his only touchdown as a Jet in a Week 14 win against the Miami Dolphins.
Demaryius Thomas announced his retirement from football on June 28, 2021.
NFL Career Statistics
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Won the Super Bowl | |
| Bold | Career high |
Regular season
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2010 | DEN | 10 | 2 | 22 | 283 | 12.9 | 31 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| 2011 | DEN | 11 | 5 | 32 | 551 | 17.2 | 47 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | DEN | 16 | 16 | 94 | 1,434 | 15.3 | 71T | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 2013 | DEN | 16 | 16 | 92 | 1,430 | 15.5 | 78T | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2014 | DEN | 16 | 16 | 111 | 1,619 | 14.9 | 86T | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | DEN | 16 | 16 | 105 | 1,304 | 12.4 | 72T | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 2016 | DEN | 16 | 16 | 90 | 1,083 | 12.0 | 55T | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 2017 | DEN | 16 | 16 | 83 | 949 | 11.4 | 40 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2018 | DEN | 8 | 8 | 36 | 402 | 11.2 | 45 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| HOU | 7 | 7 | 23 | 275 | 12.0 | 31 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2019 | NYJ | 11 | 10 | 36 | 433 | 12.0 | 47 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 143 | 128 | 724 | 9,763 | 13.5 | 86T | 63 | 3 | 6 | 2.0 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 10 | |
Postseason
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Fumbles | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||||
| 2011 | DEN | 2 | 2 | 10 | 297 | 29.7 | 80T | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2012 | DEN | 1 | 1 | 3 | 37 | 12.3 | 17T | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2013 | DEN | 3 | 3 | 28 | 306 | 10.9 | 30 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 2014 | DEN | 1 | 1 | 5 | 59 | 11.8 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2015 | DEN | 3 | 3 | 7 | 60 | 8.6 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2018 | HOU | 0 | 0 | Did not play due to injury | |||||||||||||
| Total | 10 | 10 | 53 | 759 | 14.3 | 80T | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||
Broncos Team Records
Demaryius Thomas holds many records for the Denver Broncos, including:
- Most catches in playoff games (54)
- Most catches in a single playoff season (28 in 2013)
- Most catches in a Super Bowl game (13 in Super Bowl XLVIII) (tied with Shannon Sharpe)
- Most receiving yards in a regular season (1,619 in 2014)
- Most receiving yards in a single regular season game (226 on October 5, 2014)
- Most receiving yards in a single playoff game (204 on January 8, 2012)
- Most receiving touchdowns in a regular season (14 in 2013) (tied with Anthony Miller)
- Most games with at least 100 receiving yards in a career (33)
- Most games with at least 100 receiving yards in a single season (10 in 2014)
- Most consecutive games with at least 100 receiving yards (7 in 2014)
Personal Life
Demaryius Thomas was an evangelical Christian. He often shared his faith on social media. He had a tattoo of Jesus on his left arm that said "Jesus Saves."
On July 15, 2016, the city of Dublin, Georgia, honored him by naming the day "Demaryius Thomas Day."
Death
Demaryius Thomas passed away on December 9, 2021, at age 33. His death was believed to be caused by a seizure, possibly from injuries he got in a car crash in 2019. After his death, his brain was studied and showed signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). This is a brain condition linked to repeated head impacts.
See also
In Spanish: Demaryius Thomas para niños
