Demaryius Thomas retires after 10 seasons
Former Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas announced his retirement Monday after 10 NFL seasons.
"It was a tough decision, a real tough decision," Thomas told Ben Swanson of the Broncos' official site. "Always as a kid or always when I did something, it was always (giving) my best to go and go and go. And football was my go.
"Every year I tried to get better and better, and I knew I was aging, of course. It was something tough, but I'm grateful I did 10, 11 years. I'm so grateful for that, and now I can move on. I'm happy, I'm healthy. And now I can try to find my next itch."
I'm Demaryius Thomas, and I've finally come to a decision to hang it up. I'm going to retire, and I'm going to retire a Denver Bronco." pic.twitter.com/Q6nNrxc59B
- Denver Broncos (@Broncos) June 28, 2021
Thomas spent eight-and-a-half seasons with the Broncos after being selected in the first round of the 2010 draft. The wideout's career took off after Peyton Manning's 2012 arrival in Denver, as Thomas racked up four straight seasons with over 1,300 yards and five consecutive Pro Bowl appearances.
The 33-year-old ranks second all time in Broncos receiving yards (9,055) and receiving touchdowns (60), as well as third in catches (665). He also set the team's single-season receiving yards record of 1,619 in 2014.
Thomas won Super Bowl 50 with Denver during the 2015 season. He had a then-record 13 catches in the AFC West club's first Super Bowl appearance of the Manning era in 2013, and he set numerous Broncos playoff records during that postseason run.
The veteran pass-catcher was traded to the Houston Texans midway through the 2018 season but struggled to make an impact in seven appearances.
Thomas then briefly signed with the New England Patriots prior to the 2019 season before again being traded to the New York Jets. He played 11 games in New York, recording 36 receptions for 433 yards and a touchdown. Thomas didn't play during the 2020 campaign.
"No regrets at all," Thomas said. "There's no reason to. I'm here, I'm blessed. ... I tried to do what I could do every play - if it was catch a ball, if it was to block somebody. I tried to put my everything in it every time."
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