The NFL is doing right by one former star who took the league by storm in the early 2010s. After his passing, he is being honored with an incredible award.
Breaking: NFL Awards A Posthumous Honor Former Star (Report)
Demariyus Thomas will be inducted into the Denver Broncos’ Ring of Fame in 2025, honoring one of their most popular players:
“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.
11 years ago today, the late Demaryius Thomas caught a pass over the middle from Tim Tebow and raced 80 yards for a touchdown in overtime to help the underdog #Broncos beat the #Steelers in the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/6VSXBAjxSc
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 8, 2023
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.”
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.
For All NFL And College Football Content:
Follow me on X (formerly Twitter) at @mcquadewarnold. Also, do not forget to follow us at On Twitter for even more great football content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in the world of the NFL – especially with all the trade rumors swirling around and free agency news – college football, and more, click here!
