Report: Former Broncos WR Demaryius Thomas Dead at Age 33
On Thursday night, rumors lit up Twitter that former Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas has passed away. The tragic news was confirmed by KOARadio insider Benjamin Allbright and later by Miles Garrett — an Atlanta-area reporter.
At this time, there isn't much information on what caused Thomas' death. TMZ reported the following after contacting Georgia police:
The cause of death is currently unclear ... but police tell us they found Thomas deceased in his Roswell, GA home Thursday night.
Cops tell us preliminary reports suggest the death stemmed from a medical issue. They also tell us there are currently no indications that foul play was involved.
33 years old is far too young for anyone to pass away, let alone one of the world's elite athletes just a few months removed from officially retiring from the NFL.
As this story develops, we will provide any additional context we gather on what happened to Thomas. For now, we join Broncos Country in mourning the death of one of Denver's most prolific players all-time.
Drafted in the first round by the Broncos back in 2010, Thomas became a household name when Peyton Manning arrived two years later.
Thomas was the leading receiver on the Broncos' record-breaking 2013 offense that totaled 606 points — a mark that still stands. He was one of the few guys who came to play in Denver's ugly Super Bowl XLVIII loss, setting a Super Bowl record for most receptions in the biggest game.
Thomas was a big part of the Broncos' Super Bowl 50 triumph two years later. When Manning retired, Thomas continued to produce at a high level for Trevor Siemian, posting a 1,000-yard receiving season in 2016.
The following year, the wheels fell off the bus for the Broncos' offense as the team suffered from poor quarterback play. But Thomas still totaled 949 receiving yards on 83 receptions.
Ahead of the trade deadline the following season, the Broncos traded Thomas to the Houston Texans. When he left, he did so as the team's No. 2 receiver all-time — behind only Rod Smith — in receptions, yards, and touchdowns.
'DT' participated in a total of 83 wins as a Bronco and has the longest active games played (115) and games started (104) streak among any NFL wide receiver.
Thomas' five 1,000-yard receiving seasons rank second in Broncos history to only Smith. Thomas holds the franchise record for career 100-yard receiving games (including postseason) with 36, ranking him in the top-5 in the NFL since his first triple-digit-yard receiving game in 2011.
Thomas became one of just four players in NFL history to post five consecutive years with at least 90 receptions and 1,000 receiving yards from 2012-15. He earned a Pro Bowl nod in each of those seasons, joining Hall-of-Famers Shannon Sharpe and Steve Atwater as the only Broncos to ever earn five-straight Pro Bowl selections.
Thomas also earned second-team All-Pro honors (2013-14) twice. He set a Broncos single-season record with 1,619 receiving yards in 2014 and totaled the second-most receptions (111) in franchise history.
Then-GM John Elway said this when Thomas was traded in 2018:
“Demaryius had an incredible run here and we can’t thank him enough for everything he’s meant to the Broncos. He developed into an elite player over the years, establishing himself as one NFL’s most productive, consistent and reliable wide receivers. D.T. was a big part of so many wins and memorable moments as a Bronco. Although it’s tough to end this chapter, we’re excited about the talent we have at the wide receiver position and wish Demaryius all the best with the Texans.”
Thomas' most iconic play came in the 2011 playoffs as the Broncos hosted the defending AFC-Champion Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wildcard Round. On the first play of overtime, Thomas caught a 12-yard slant from quarterback Tim Tebow, romping 80 yards to pay-dirt to win the game and send the Broncos to the next round.
Broncos Country has been rocked by the tragic news of Thomas' passing. He would have turned 34 on Christmas Day. Rest in peace, Bey-Bey.
Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen.
Follow Mile High Huddle on Twitter and Facebook.
Subscribe to Mile High Huddle on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!
