Broncos Announce Posthumous Honor for Beloved WR

The Denver Broncos are honoring one of their most popular players of all time by inducting the late Demariyus Thomas into their Ring of Fame in 2025.

“Thomas was the only former player or coach selected for the honor Tuesday,” ESPN’s Jeff Legwold wrote on May 27. “The team’s Ring of Fame committee is headed up by owners Rob Walton as well as Greg and Carrie Penner. Thomas died on Dec. 9, 2021, just days before his 34th birthday, of what Fulton County (Georgia) Medical Examiner’s office ruled as ‘complications of a seizure disorder.’ ”

Thomas’ induction will become official during halftime of the Broncos’ “Alumni Game” against the New York Giants on October 19.

Thomas was a Super Bowl champion, 5-time Pro Bowler and 2-time NFL All-Pro with the Broncos He is perhaps best known for his thrilling, 80-yard catch and run walk off touchdown on the first play of overtime to give the Broncos a 29-23 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Wild Card Round following the 2011 season.

There had been a groundswell of support in recent years from Thomas’ former teammates and among the Broncos fanbase to put Thomas in the Ring of Fame.

“A special and unique guy,” former Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning said a few days after Thomas’ death in 2021. “Obviously an incredible player — dependable, accountable, tough, hard-working, unselfish. All the things you want in a great teammate … much less an incredibly talented receiver.”

From ACC to One of NFL’s Best Wide Receivers

Thomas starred at West Laurens (Georgia) High School and stayed in his home state to play college football, where he earned All-American honors at Georgia Tech in 2009 with 46 receptions for 1,154 yards and 8 touchdowns as he averaged a whopping 25.1 yards per catch.

He left school with one year of eligibility remaining and was selected by the Broncos in the first round (No. 22 overall) of the 2010 NFL draft.

Quarterback Tim Tebow was the other first round pick at No. 25 overall.

Thomas played 10 seasons in the NFL and had 5 consecutive seasons of at least 1,000 receiving yards and finished his career with 724 receptions for 9,763 yards and 63 touchdowns. That included 4 consecutive seasons of at least 1,300 receiving yards from 2012 to 2015. He was traded to the Houston Texans midway through the 2018 season and spent his final 2 NFL seasons with the Texans, New England Patriots and New York Jets.

In 10 seasons, Thomas was also one of the NFL’s highest paid wide receivers and finished his career with $74.4 million in career earnings.

Fans React With Joy to Thomas News

Broncos fans were overjoyed at the news of Thomas’ induction into the Ring of Fame. August 8 has been “Demariyus Thomas Day” since 2022 to honor Thomas’ signature No. 88 jersey.

“Unanimous decision… Thank you @Broncos,” X user Desirae DeHerrera wrote on May 27. “Congratulations, DT. You did it!” 

“I was elated and I was surprised and I was thinking, ‘This is what DT wanted. It was a dream for him that came true,” Katina Thomas, Demariyus’ mother, told Mike Klis of Denver 9 News. “And to have it on alumni weekend is perfect timing like Mr. Greg (Penner) said. “It is bittersweet because he didn’t really get a chance to enjoy the days of being retired. But he put in the work. He made the sacrifice by putting in his time. Even though he’s not here he’s getting the recognition he wanted.”