You will never be forgotten, Demaryius Thomas
Demaryius Thomas passed away Thursday at age 33, but the Denver Broncos wide receiver will not be forgotten.
Coming into the National Football League in 2010, Demaryius Thomas was critiqued about his potential transition to the next level. Thomas was the next great wide receiver to come out from Georgia Tech after Calvin Johnson. With Johnson earning the nickname “Megatron”, it became evident that Thomas was Op”Thomas” Prime.
Thomas provided so many memories for Broncos Country that will last forever. Demaryius Thomas will not be forgotten.
Thomas did not come to the league as a perfect player, but you would not have known that by his presence with the Broncos franchise both on and off the field. Josh McDaniels has received criticism for his tenure in orange and blue; however, his selection of Thomas is one that gave the Denver Broncos a player who performed every single game as if it was last.
Thomas put forth the best effort every game-day. It became evident in 2011 Thomas was a superstar in a Broncos uniform. Thomas gave the Broncos one of the best moments in franchise history on the first plays of overtime in a playoff game against the Steelers. This started Thomas’ unforgettable career with Denver.
Due to Demaryius Thomas’ size, height and measurables, he became part of the next brand of physical wide receivers who blended strength and speed. Thomas’ career hit blast off with quarterback Peyton Manning. When Manning joined the Broncos the growth of Thomas’ overall game took shape.
Back in the draft process people had doubts regarding his route running and his hands to catch passes. Yet, he finished with a catch percentage just a tad higher than Rod Smith of 60.7 percent according to Pro Football Reference.
Thomas became one of the most impressive route runners in the NFL and physical specimen to take a screen to the house as quick as a hiccup. His production started to take shape during his career with Denver Broncos. Thomas put together one of the most impressive five-year stretches as a wide receiver. He registered five straight seasons of 1,000 yards averaging 1,373 yards during that stretch with 9.2 touchdowns.
He would later tie the bow on his stretch with a Super Bowl win over Carolina. His other notable performances include Super Bowl 48 and the Arizona Cardinals game at Mile High. Super Bowl 48 is not a fond memory for Broncos fans; however, for Demaryius Thomas fans he was loved that day.
Despite the product on the field, Thomas played to the final whistle breaking the receptions record in a Super Bowl with 13. The performance against the Cardinals was a clinic of Thomas’ talent as a wide receiver and importantly his growth. Thomas ran circles around every cornerback or defender covering him. It resulted in the franchise record for most receiving yards in team history (226).
The cherry on top for Thomas’ career is representing a genuine human being who cared deeply about every single person he met. Whether it was fans, teammates, or ex-teammates, Thomas showed love by his actions and words.
One of my favorite sayings is “words are meaningless if there’s no action behind it.” Demaryius Thomas’ love for every person was also evident in his smile. They often say a smile is a true depiction of how much a person loves. These actions translated to the community. He was a figure for kids to look up to as a role model and admire.
Thomas showed to every kid or person in the community that their life mattered. That’s one of the greatest lessons we all should remember in our everyday. Your life matters.
His time with the Denver Broncos will be cherished. Demaryius Thomas wore the orange and blue with that beautiful smile playing through every trial or tribulation he faced. Toughness became Thomas’ calling card.
No matter the injury Thomas played as every single game mattered. Amazing right? That’s just exactly who he is. As we mentioned above, Thomas showed people how much their life mattered and he performed every game on Sunday as if it always mattered.
Demaryius Thomas gave his all. Thomas said awhile back, “I want to be one of those guys who isn’t forgotten once I’m done.” I can assure you DT, you will not be forgotten. Broncos Country will love you and miss you every day.