Former Broncos Star Wideout Demaryius Thomas Dies at 33: ‘We Are Devastated’

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Demaryius Thomas, who terrorized NFL secondaries throughout the 2010s and won Super Bowl 50 with the Denver Broncos, has died, FOX 5 Atlanta confirmed.

Thomas was found on Thursday in his home in Roswell, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. He reportedly died of a medical issue deriving from an automobile accident in 2019.

“Preliminary information is that his death stems from a medical issue, and our investigators currently have no reason to believe otherwise,” a police spokesperson said early Friday morning.

The Broncos drafted Thomas out of Georgia Tech with 22nd pick in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft. He played eight and a half seasons with Denver and during that time he logged 9,055 receiving yards, 60 touchdowns, and had more than 1,000 receiving yards in five consecutive seasons. He was named to five straight Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl ring in the 2015 season.

After his accident in 2019, Thomas signed with the New York Jets later that year after being cut by the Houston Texans. He managed to play in 11 games in what turned out to be his final season in the NFL, though he did not formally retire until this June of 2021.

“I’m Demaryius Thomas, and I’ve finally come to a decision to hang it up,” he said in a video posted to Twitter by the Broncos account. “I’m going to retire, and I’m going to retire a Denver Bronco.”

“We are devastated and completely heartbroken by the sudden, tragic passing of Demaryius Thomas,” the Broncos said in a statement. “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.”

Thomas would have turned 34 years old on Christmas.

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