Former Broncos Star Wide Receiver Demaryius Thomas Dies at 33

Ron Chenoy/USA TODAY Sports

Demaryius Thomas, a four-time Pro-Bowler and former Broncos star wide receiver, has died. 

The Broncos issued the following statement on Friday morning:

"We are devastated and completely heartbroken by the sudden, tragic passing of Demaryius Thomas. D.T. was beloved by our entire organization, his teammates and coaches, and our fans. Recently retiring as a Bronco, we were very much looking forward to celebrating Demaryius for years to come as one of the greatest players in franchise history.

During nine seasons in Denver, Demaryius established himself as a dominant, record-setting wide receiver who was an instrumental part of two championship runs and our victory in Super 50. His legacy as a Bronco extended far beyond the playing field as a caring, generous member of our community.

D.T. loved giving back—especially spending time with children—and impacted countless lives through the Broncos Boys and Girls Club, hospital visits, his annual football camp and many other genuine interactions. Demaryius’ humility, warmth, kindness and infectious smile will always be remembered by those who knew him and loved him. 

We have lost an incredible player and a special person in Demaryius Thomas. Our hearts and deepest sympathies go out to the Thomas family and all who are grieving this unimaginable loss."

FOX 5 Atlanta producer Miles Garrett was the first to report.

Washington Post's Nicki Jhabvala confirmed the news, sharing that Roswell, Ga., police said they found the wide receiver dead in his home on Thursday evening. The preliminary thought is that police believe his death stemmed from a medical issue, per Jhabvala.

Thomas would have been 34 this Christmas. 

Thomas was born in Montrose, Ga., and played for Georgia Tech. He stayed through his junior year, tallying 46 receptions for 1,154 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns that season. He went on to be selected in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft, selected at No. 22 by the Broncos. 

Thomas spent eight seasons in Denver, reaching the Pro Bowl for three consecutive campaigns from 2012 to '14. He won the Super Bowl alongside Peyton Manning in 2015, but arguably his most memorable moment came in his '12 campaign, when Thomas took a slant from Tim Tebow 80 yards to the house in overtime to beat the Steelers in the divisional round of the playoffs.

Thomas set a record for the most catches in a Super Bowl, with 13, during Denver's 43-8 loss to the Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII. The record has since been broken by the Patriots' James White in Super Bowl LI. He also caught Manning's pass that set the record for most career touchdown passes in 2014.

During his 10-season career between the Broncos, Texans, Patriots and Jets, Thomas caught 724 passes, tallying 9,763 yards and 63 touchdowns. He officially retired in June, ending his professional football career where it all began. 

His former teammates, other football stars and reporters across the league reacted to Thursday's news on social media.