It was small consolation at the end of a dreadful night, but Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas did walk out of MetLife Stadium with a Super Bowl record.
Thomas’ 13 catches were the most by any player in a single Super Bowl and it seems he may have caught most of those passes with an injured shoulder. Vic Lombardi of CBS4 in Denver reports that Thomas separated his shoulder in the first quarter of the game.
It’s not clear whether the injury was suffered on the hit that safety Kam Chancellor delivered after Thomas’ first catch of the game. The hit was later cited by both linebacker Bobby Wagner and coach Pete Carroll as a significant moment in setting the tone for the game.
Thomas, who fumbled after a catch in the third quarter, has several months to rehab before he’ll need to be back on the field. He may miss or be limited for some or all of the team’s OTAs, but should be ready when training camp gets underway this summer.