Day after day of training camp, Demaryius Thomas walked out onto the Dove Valley practice fields and watched his teammates.
That was all he could do as worked his way back from an Achilles injury suffered last February. After foot and ankle injuries in 2010, it was his Achilles that now forced him to sit out.
And when he was finally deemed fit to return, a finger injury right before the 2011 season opener put him back on the sidelines.
“He had some injuries,” teammate Robert Ayers said. “You just have to keep working and keep fighting. He has been doing that.”
In yesterday’s AFC Wild Card game against the Steelers, Thomas was no longer a spectator.
He was the game’s ultimate playmaker, amassing 204 receiving yards and scoring the game-winner with an 80-yard catch-and-run on the first play of overtime as the world watched him display all the explosiveness he once feared could be lost.
Today, Thomas and his teammates reviewed the game film from that 29-23 victory.
And this time Thomas was happy to sit and watch, knowing the tape would end with his stunning score.
So were his proud teammates.
“You were anxious for it and I was excited for Demaryius just to see him watch (the film),” fellow wideout Eddie Royal said. “I just saw a big smile on his face.”
Thomas was all smiles today as he reflected on his dominant performance and the dramatic play that will forever be attached to him.
“It was amazing,” Thomas said. “I knew walking up to the line, I saw the safety come down, I was like, ‘This is going to be a big play.’ The middle of the field was wide open. All I had to do was beat the corner. Once I beat him there was nothing but green grass. Once I beat him I knew I was going to score.”
Thomas now has the confidence to know he can make those game-breaking plays.
In the final five games of the regular season, Thomas totaled 25 receptions for 448 yards and three touchdowns, giving him more receiving yards during the last month of a season (Dec./Jan.) than anyone in team history.
Then came Sunday, when Thomas took the term “big-play” to a new level, reeling in a pass from Tebow over the middle, stiff-arming cornerback Ike Taylor and running 62 yards downfield for the overtime touchdown.
“We see it in practice, making amazing catches and running past people, but I don’t think a lot of you guys really get to see that from him,” Royal said. “But that game showed what he can do.”
At 6-foot-3, 235-pounds, that is what scouts saw in Thomas when he entered the league with the Broncos as the 22nd overall selection in 2010.
Tremendous size, breakaway speed — and a lethal stiff-arm.
“I started throwing a stiff arm when I was in college. I had some big plays in college from a stiff arm … I think that’s the only move I have,” Thomas said modestly with a laugh.
But when the injuries struck, no one was certain when Thomas’ skilled moves and contagious smile would return.
Head Coach John Fox admitted he wasn’t sure what he would see from Thomas when he took over.
“We were aware of his abilities, so you kind of knew, but not really,” Fox said of Thomas’ early injuries. “He started to do it in practice. He had flashes and unfortunately he got hurt. We’re just glad he’s healthy now.”
Thomas cleared the mental hurdles that accompanied his series of injuries and now his physical potential it beginning to take over when the Broncos need him most.
“He found it within himself like, ‘Hey, I can go out here and play to the top level that everybody else is playing at,’” running back Willis McGahee said. “And that’s what he’s doing.”
Tags: Demaryius Thomas
See, even Fox had his doubts about DT, that doesn’t make him the laugh of town, does it, LOL.
Having doubts would be different than half the fan base calling the guy a bust.. People are WAY too quick to use that word IMO..
He made a couple of great catches last night and thankfully, won the game with one of them. That said, he also dropped a perfect pass that would have been a touchdown and could have very easily cost us the game. His catching definitely needs to improve.
Jan 8th, 2012 – THE RISE OF OPTIMUS PRIME!!!!
if i had a dollar for every facemask not called in our games i could buy a ticket to go see a game.lol
Gator fan – if you actually look at that pass you are referring to, DT would have been blown up ala Decker if he held on to the ball.. Just saying..
So now we go sign T.O. so we have another reciever right?
lol
i like t.o but im not sure what denver will do
The rise of Demaritron.
i laugh because the last blog that was brought up t.o that is and it was interesting who thought that was a good idea and who thought it was dumb to even think that. all i know is t.o last two stops went pretty good buffalo and cinci.
This group of broncos is officially “BIG GAME CERTIFIED”. Our draft pick in the upcoming draft has fallen to 25th but that is ok.
Wow why T.O. wow lol really. Not even worth mentioning. I trust Greg Orton and De’Andre Goodwin.
hopefully we will have pick 32 when its all said and done
Its dumb to not get him now…who are our WR Bay Bay, Royal, Willis, and……………hmm. 3 WR is no good atleast T.O.would be a veteran..
i didnt like that call in yesterdays game when we putt tebow out wide and did a direct snap to mcgahee. i thought we had things clicking in the passing game and that got stuffed and brought on the punting unit.
The offensive co-ordination looked brilliant at times.
t.o is not the same locker room cancer he was in his earlier years he had a great season in buffalo and he went to cinci and was there leading reciever and had no problems. i think he would love to be givin an opurtunity to play even if it were for just a game or three.
Lol@u guys are serious. We have a next man up philosophy. NEXT MAN UP.
i have seen dt throw a pass decker throw a pass and a flea flicker and a direct snap and not one got even an inch for us i think we should stop with the gimiks
im not saying we are going to seek t.o im just stickin up for my man risky and his opinion. and he is entitled to one.
Thanks for the bad opinion then guys.
Next man up is for ppl on the actual roster…those our practice squad recievers and this is the playoffs..Decker is a big blow and T.O. would fill the same void left by Deck…
and sure we have the next man up philosophy but we also have the if your not performing we will cut your ass philosophy. maybe greg orton isnt what they want.
Let’s bring Rod Smith out of retirement. You heard it here first.LOL
if dt got hurt g monkey would you still only want to replace him with a guy named orton. lol
Why are you so hurt dude. You need to wise up.
new blog
G monkey I should get at you with a back hand left like I got some loser who called me Chimp Bailey with my orange Champ jersey on.
Not a big deal though because I am so full of joy.
because you dont need to be an ass saying things like Wow why T.O. wow lol really. Not even worth mentioning. that to me is not the way to get you point across that you dont believe in t.o theres better ways to come across without making myself or risky get irritated
Gee wiz bronco bomber is absolutely positively correct.
ya your a tuff guy G
t.o?? why not randy moss who has been staying in football shape and said he would play as long as it was a playoff contender
OT: He came from the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. HE IS BUMBLEBEE!!!
As for T.O., He is good. Not Great anymore. I Still don’t like him.
Moss is a major cancer. eg: three teams had him. not one made any attempt to get him back. Pats deserted him, Vikes shipped him, and the Titans didn’t re-sign him. Although, if anyone else remembers, Tom Brady wanted him back, but Big Bill didn’t want him at all. It would be hilarious if we signed him and he blew up on the pats. like 200+ yds. And we win. Imagine Belichecks face. Oh Happy Days!
G_Money: are you a tebow fan? If you aren’t, tebow was # 25 and if you didn’t like TT, We could draft a guy with Tebow’s pick
(I am TT’s biggest fan, but just making a point)
How about neither Moss or Owens and we beef up the defense with more ridiculous draft picks like Von Miller, keep Eddie, and have patience with the young guys… We don’t want a big name. Big names want want want and we are NOT the team for TO or Moss because we are developing our new offensive scheme and there will probably be a lot more blocking than catching. This is exactly why Brandon Lloyd was traded. He wants what’s “his” and we need non-selfish people around until Tebow becomes the threat every week that we saw yesterday.
Where did everyone go?
Did I scare you away with TO and Moss talk.
tlcat: i dont want either of them, i was just making a funny statement.
Dmt is one of the most pleasant surprises this season.
He has gotten over the injury thing, and he is finally playing his size. He is coming up HUGE this season.
I want to defend everyone that ever called Dmt a bust and say that we always thought he would be an injury bust.
When we first drafted him he couldn’t even block someone without getting some kind of injury. But we all knew that when he was healthy he was explosive.
Well now he is healthy. He is strong. He is pushing people out of his way and making a statement.
As a doubter, I am perhaps the most excited to see how Dmt has turned it around, gotten stronger, and is starting to be the impact player that his draft position demands.
i cant wait till saturday night when tim tebow and demaryius thomas make josh mcdaniels cry on the sideline knowing he was the one who brought them to denver and then bill belichick walks over and slaps him and yells at him LOOK WHAT U MADE I TOLD U TO RUIN DENVER NOT MAKE THEM BETTER NOW THERE GOING TO KICK US OUT OF THE PLAYOFFS
go broncos!
Great article,Hes a inspiration to many.Congrats on Holding some NFL records. Your hard work shows.Thanks.
thank you thomas and now you can become the greatest WR that we ever had i mean Rod Smith was great but you can be the greatest WR ever