Demaryius Thomas, Super Bowl 50 champion who died in 2021, elected into Broncos Ring of Honor

New York Times

27-05-2025

Demaryius Thomas, the All-Pro wide receiver and Super Bowl 50 champion who died in 2021 at the age of 33, has been elected into the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame, the team announced Tuesday.
Thomas played parts of 10 seasons with the Broncos and earned all five of his Pro Bowl berths while playing in Denver. His induction into the Ring of Fame comes in his first year of eligibility.
Thomas died on Dec. 9, 2021 due to complications from a seizure disorder. Researchers at Boston University posthumously diagnosed Thomas with stage 2 Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head trauma.
The ultimate Bronco.
Demaryius Thomas has been selected to the #BroncosROF!#LLDT 🧡 pic.twitter.com/FztWJSWkFT
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) May 27, 2025
Thomas will be officially inducted into the Ring of Fame in Week 7 as the Broncos host the New York Giants. The ceremony will coincide with a celebration of the 10th anniversary of Denver's Super Bowl 50 victory over the Carolina Panthers, a fitting bit of symmetry for a player who played a significant role in the group's success.
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'Demaryius Thomas' election to the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame — in his first year of eligibility — is a testament to the indelible mark he left on our organization and community,' Broncos owners Greg Penner and Carrie Walton Penner said in a statement. 'One of the most beloved players and greatest wide receivers in franchise history, Demaryius inspired our fans with breathtaking athleticism, record-setting performances and a joyful, infectious spirit. While we wish 'D.T.' was with us to celebrate this special moment, we look forward to honoring Demaryius alongside his Super Bowl 50 teammates during an unforgettable Alumni Weekend.'
Thomas, a first-round pick by the Broncos out of Georgia Tech in 2010, is No. 2 on the Broncos' all-time list in receiving yards (9,055) and touchdown receptions (60), behind only Rod Smith. He is third in receptions (665) behind Smith and Shannon Sharpe.
During the four seasons Thomas played with Peyton Manning in Denver (2012-15), he was second in the NFL in receptions (402) and receiving yards (5,787) and third in receiving touchdowns (41). He helped Manning and the Broncos produce the most prolific offense in NFL history in 2013, when Denver scored 606 points.
'He was a big reason why I came out here to play,' Manning, who created a scholarship in the receiver's honor, said shortly after Thomas' death.
His most iconic play, though, came the season before Manning arrived as a free agent. In a 2011 AFC wild-card game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Thomas caught a slant from Tim Tebow on the first play of overtime and ran away from the Steelers' defense for an 80-yard, game-winning touchdown, his sprint to the end zone accompanied by the thunderous roar of Denver's home crowd.
'For Demaryius and our family, this is a dream come true,' Katina Smith, Thomas' mother, said in a statement. 'Like I told Mr. Greg Penner, one of the things D.T. always said was he didn't want to be forgotten when he was finished with the game. It wasn't just about football for him but how he wanted to be remembered as a person. This will make Demaryius' dream come true to be part of the prestigious Denver Broncos Ring of Fame. It's definitely going to be emotional and I'm honored to represent him. I know D.T. is smiling in heaven with this exciting news that came out today.'
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Thomas' tragic death came as a shock to the football world. He was less than three weeks shy of his 34th birthday and only one year into retirement. A handful of his former teammates, including wide receiver Courtland Sutton, were still on Denver's roster at the time of his death. They played with heavy hearts just days after his death, beating the Detroit Lions while paying tribute to Thomas by putting only 10 players on the field for the game's first play.
Fittingly, Sutton, who joined the Broncos during Thomas' last season in Denver, was the player who then lined up in Thomas' outside receiver spot after the opening play.
'(Sutton) was instantly a little brother, and DT said, 'I'm going to help you become a better player.' That was the person,' Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, who was the team's head coach during two of Thomas' seasons in Denver, said in 2023.
'I always say about players that sometimes the player and the person are separate. His person was so, so special, and it's really rare where you have the player and the person who are both that special, and he was that guy.'