De’Anthony Thomas

De'Anthony Thomas is a former star running back for the University of Oregon who had a standout 2011 season as a true freshman, setting a school record for number of touchdowns by a freshman.

Football Player

January 5, 1993

32

De’Anthony Thomas, a former American football running back and return specialist, had an impressive college football career at the University of Oregon. In his remarkable freshman season in 2011, he set a school record by scoring 18 touchdowns and accumulating 2,235 all-purpose yards. Thomas was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft, where he played for four seasons. Known for his speed and agility, he earned the nickname “Black Mamba” and won the Super Bowl with the Chiefs in 2020. Additionally, Thomas was a two-time First-team All-Pac-12 selection, received the Paul Hornung Award, and was a Second-team All-Pro selection. Despite facing challenges such as a high school concussion that temporarily affected his vision and struggles with anxiety and depression, Thomas has used his platform as a professional athlete to raise awareness about mental health.