Being a back-to-back-to-back-to-back (4x) 1,300-yard receiver in the National Football League is no easy feat to achieve–much more so when you throw a Super Bowl ring into the equation. That’s why it was an easy choice for the Denver Broncos to officially put legendary AFC West receiver Demaryius Thomas‘ name into their Ring of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
Thomas, a first-round draft selection in the 2010 NFL Draft, spent eight and a half seasons with the Broncos’ organization. The first two years of his pro-career welcomed a combined 54 receptions for 834 yards and six touchdowns with the bulk of production stemming from his 551–yard, 32-catch ’11 campaign.
Then, in 2012, everything changed.
The entire landscape of the AFC West changed, in fact. That’s because Peyton Manning, a four-time Most Valuable Player Award winner at the time, left the Indianapolis Colts to sign with Denver’s football team. And with that signing came a complete turnaround for the Broncos, as well as the career of Demaryius Thomas.
This season marked the start of a five-year run in which Thomas earned a Pro Bowl nod each year. He was responsible for 1,300-plus receiving yards and 90-plus receptions in each of his four seasons playing with Manning, helping Denver make the Super Bowl in 2013 and win it all in 2015.
Even after Manning’s retirement following the team’s ’15 Super Bowl victory, Thomas remained productive. The Georgia Tech alum hauled in 90 passes for 1,083 yards and five scores in 2015 and capped off his ’26 campaign by finishing 51 yards short of 1,000 receiving yards alongside another five touchdowns.
Six years after retirement, Thomas is officially a staple in the Denver Broncos history books.
Denver Broncos add Demaryius Thomas to Ring of Fame: A message from the mother of the legendary AFC West wideout
Unfortunately, Thomas isn’t with us to hear the news himself. On December 9th, at the age of 33, Demaryius passed away due to complications from a seizure.
His mother, Katina Smith, spoke on his behalf in acceptance of this honor.
“For Demaryius and our family, this is a dream come true. 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 Demaryiius’ dream come true to be part of the prestigious Denver Broncos ring of fame.
“It’s definitely going to be emotional and I am honored to represent him. I know D.T. is smiling in heaven with this exciting news that came out today.”
A five-time Pro Bowler, two-time All-Pro, and Super Bowl champion. And now, immortalized in Denver Broncos history.
*Top Photo: Getty Images
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