History of Demaryius Thomas in Timeline
Demaryius Thomas was an American football wide receiver who had a successful ten-season career in the NFL, mainly with the Denver Broncos. In college, he played for Georgia Tech and was recognized as a third-team All-American in 2009. Drafted by the Broncos in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft, Thomas went on to achieve significant success in Denver, including five Pro Bowl selections and a Super Bowl 50 victory against the Carolina Panthers. Besides the Broncos, he played for the Houston Texans, New England Patriots, and New York Jets during his career.
1970: NFL Record Comparison
Since 1970, only nine players, including Demaryius Thomas, have recorded at least eight catches in their first NFL game.
December 25, 1987: Birth of Demaryius Thomas
Demaryius Thomas was born in Montrose, Georgia on December 25, 1987.
2004: High School Football Success
In 2004, while a junior in high school, Demaryius Thomas recorded 32 receptions for 330 yards and three touchdowns.
2006: Calvin Johnson's Record Year
Calvin Johnson, also a wide receiver at Georgia Tech, had a record year in 2006 with 1,202 yards.
2006: Redshirt Freshman Year
Demaryius Thomas redshirted his freshman year at Georgia Tech in 2006.
2006: Track and Field Achievements
In 2006, Demaryius Thomas achieved a personal best in the triple jump and participated in the 100-meter dash and 4x100m relay.
2007: College Football Debut
Demaryius Thomas made his college football debut in 2007, playing in all 13 games and recording 35 receptions for 558 yards and four touchdowns.
2008: Leading Receiver for Georgia Tech
In 2008, Demaryius Thomas was the leading receiver for Georgia Tech with 39 receptions for 627 yards and three touchdowns.
2008: Eddie Royal's Record
In 2008, Eddie Royal set the Denver Broncos rookie record for most receptions in a game with nine catches.
2009: Breakout Season
Demaryius Thomas had a breakout season in 2009 with 46 receptions for 1,154 yards and eight touchdowns, earning First-Team All-ACC honors.
2009: College Football Success
In 2009, Demaryius Thomas earned third-team All-American honors while playing college football for Georgia Tech.
January 8, 2010: Declares for NFL Draft
On January 8, 2010, Demaryius Thomas declared for the 2010 NFL Draft.
July 31, 2010: Signs with Broncos
Demaryius Thomas signed a five-year contract with the Denver Broncos on July 31, 2010.
2010: Thomas and Bryant Drafted
In 2010, Demaryius Thomas and Dez Bryant were drafted into the NFL, with Bryant selected just two picks after Thomas.
2010: NFL Draft
Demaryius Thomas was selected by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft.
February 10, 2011: Achilles Tendon Tear
On February 10, 2011, Demaryius Thomas tore his achilles tendon.
October 23, 2011: Season Debut and First Touchdown with Tebow
On October 23, 2011, Demaryius Thomas made his season debut against the Miami Dolphins, catching a five-yard touchdown pass from Tim Tebow for the Broncos' first score. Denver won 18-15 in overtime.
December 4, 2011: Strong Performance and Season-Ending Injury
On December 4, 2011, despite a 144-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Minnesota Vikings, Thomas suffered a broken leg, ending his season. He had emerged as Tebow's preferred receiver in the latter part of the season.
2011: 2011 Season Statistics
In the 2011 regular season, Thomas recorded 32 receptions, 551 receiving yards, and four touchdowns.
January 8, 2012: Historic Overtime Touchdown in Playoffs
On January 8, 2012, Thomas caught an 80-yard game-winning touchdown pass from Tebow in overtime against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card Round. This was the fastest overtime ending in NFL history and the longest playoff overtime touchdown at the time.
October 7, 2012: Career Highs in Receptions and Yards
On October 7, 2012, in a game against the New England Patriots, Thomas set career highs with nine receptions and 180 receiving yards, although the Broncos lost.
2012: Offseason Training and Manning's Arrival
During the 2012 offseason, Thomas recovered from surgery while Peyton Manning joined the Broncos. Despite missing initial workouts, Thomas focused on improving his route-running and impressed Manning with his physical attributes.
2012: Breakout Season and First Pro Bowl Selection
Thomas had a breakout year in 2012 with 94 receptions for 1,434 yards and 10 touchdowns, earning his first Pro Bowl selection.
2013: Leading the League in Touchdowns
In 2013, Thomas recorded 92 receptions for 1,430 yards and a league-leading 14 touchdowns among wide receivers.
2013: Ranked on NFL Top 100 Players
In 2013, Thomas was ranked 68th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players list.
2013: Playoff Performances and Super Bowl XLVIII
In the 2013-2014 playoffs, Thomas averaged 9.33 receptions and 102 yards per game, scoring a touchdown in each game. He set a then-Super Bowl record with 13 receptions in Super Bowl XLVIII.
2013: Pro Bowl and All-Pro Selection
Thomas earned his second Pro Bowl selection and was named to the Associated Press All-Pro team for the first time in 2013.
October 5, 2014: Franchise Record for Receiving Yards
On October 5, 2014, Thomas set a Broncos franchise record with 226 receiving yards in a game against the Arizona Cardinals, also scoring two touchdowns.
October 19, 2014: Catching Manning's Record-Breaking Touchdown
On October 19, 2014, Thomas caught Peyton Manning's 509th career touchdown pass, an NFL record at the time, during a game against the San Francisco 49ers.
November 16, 2014: Extending the 100-Yard Game Streak
On November 16, 2014, Thomas extended his franchise record to seven consecutive games with at least 100 receiving yards, despite a loss to the St. Louis Rams.
2014: Ranked on NFL Top 100 Players
Thomas was ranked 49th on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2014 list.
March 3, 2015: Broncos Franchise Tag Thomas
On March 3, 2015, the Denver Broncos placed a non-exclusive franchise tag on Demaryius Thomas worth $12.823 million. This allowed him to negotiate with other teams, but the Broncos retained the right to match any offer or receive two first-round draft picks as compensation.
July 13, 2015: Mother's Sentence Commuted
On July 13, 2015, President Barack Obama commuted the prison sentence of Demaryius Thomas's mother.
July 15, 2015: Thomas Signs Contract Extension with Broncos
On July 15, 2015, Demaryius Thomas secured a five-year, $70 million contract extension with the Denver Broncos, shortly before the deadline for franchise-tagged players.
November 11, 2015: Mother's Release
Demaryius Thomas's mother was released from prison on November 11, 2015.
2015: Ranked on NFL Top 100 Players
Thomas was ranked 20th on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2015 list.
2015: Broncos Win Super Bowl 50
In 2015, the Denver Broncos secured the #1 seed in the AFC playoffs, ultimately winning Super Bowl 50 against the Carolina Panthers. Thomas contributed with one catch for eight yards in the Super Bowl.
2015: Thomas's 2015 Season Performance
During the 2015 season, Demaryius Thomas's performance was affected by Peyton Manning's injury and Brock Osweiler's inexperience. Despite this, he achieved 105 receptions for 1,304 yards and six touchdowns. He had notable performances including an eight-reception, 116-yard game against the Kansas City Chiefs, and a ten-reception, 111-yard game against the Cleveland Browns.
January 17, 2016: Mother Sees Him Play
On January 17, 2016, Demaryius Thomas's mother saw him play football for the first time.
July 15, 2016: Demaryius Thomas Day in Dublin, Georgia
On July 15, 2016, the city council of Dublin, Georgia, proclaimed the day as "Demaryius Thomas Day" in honor of the NFL player.
August 2, 2016: Grandmother's Sentence Commuted
On August 2, 2016, President Barack Obama commuted the prison sentence of Demaryius Thomas's grandmother.
2016: Thomas's 2016 Season and Pro Bowl Selection
In 2016, despite changes at quarterback for the Broncos, Demaryius Thomas maintained strong performance, achieving his fifth consecutive 1,000-yard season. This achievement led to his selection for the 2017 Pro Bowl.
2017: Thomas Plays in Pro Bowl
In 2017, Thomas participated in the Pro Bowl, contributing two receptions for 37 yards to the AFC's victory.
2017: Thomas's Continued Performance Amidst QB Changes
Throughout 2017, Thomas remained a key player for the Broncos, despite inconsistencies in quarterback performance. A highlight was his ten-reception, 133-yard game against the New York Giants.
October 30, 2018: Thomas Traded to Houston Texans
On October 30, 2018, Demaryius Thomas was traded from the Denver Broncos to the Houston Texans along with a seventh-round pick in exchange for a fourth and seventh-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft.
December 24, 2018: Thomas Suffers Achilles Injury and Placed on IR
On December 24, 2018, Demaryius Thomas suffered a torn Achilles tendon during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles and was subsequently placed on injured reserve.
2018: Thomas's Combined 2018 Season Stats
During the 2018 season, playing for both the Broncos and Texans, Demaryius Thomas accumulated 59 receptions, 677 receiving yards, and five touchdowns.
2018: Thomas's Performance with Case Keenum
During the 2018 season, with Case Keenum as quarterback, Thomas began with a total of 20 receptions for 168 yards and a touchdown over the first four games. His performance peaked in Week 5 with five receptions for 105 yards and a touchdown against the New York Jets.
February 12, 2019: Thomas Released by Texans
On February 12, 2019, the Houston Texans released Demaryius Thomas.
April 16, 2019: Thomas Signs with Patriots
On April 16, 2019, Demaryius Thomas signed a one-year contract with the New England Patriots.
August 31, 2019: Thomas Released by Patriots
On August 31, 2019, Demaryius Thomas was released by the New England Patriots during final roster cuts.
September 2, 2019: Thomas Re-signs with Patriots
On September 2, 2019, the New England Patriots re-signed Demaryius Thomas to a one-year contract.
September 10, 2019: Thomas Traded to Jets
On September 10, 2019, Demaryius Thomas was traded to the New York Jets for a sixth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
2019: Car Crash Injuries
Demaryius Thomas suffered injuries in a car crash in 2019.
2019: Thomas' 2019 Season Performance
During the 2019 season, Demaryius Thomas played 11 games, making 36 receptions for 433 yards and one touchdown.
2019: Draft Picks Exchanged in Thomas Trade
In 2019, the draft picks involved in the Demaryius Thomas trade were utilized by both the Denver Broncos and the Houston Texans.
June 28, 2021: Thomas Retires from NFL
On June 28, 2021, Demaryius Thomas officially announced his retirement from the NFL.
December 9, 2021: Death of Demaryius Thomas
Demaryius Thomas passed away on December 9, 2021.
2021: Draft Pick Traded for Thomas
In 2021, the draft pick the New England Patriots acquired for Demaryius Thomas was used.