Peyton Manning reflects on life, career of Demaryius Thomas

After a 14-year tenure with the Indianapolis Colts, Peyton Manning eventually decided in 2012 that it was time for a change — and he ended up selecting the Denver Broncos as a free agent, in part because of what the late Demaryius Thomas brought to the table.

“The thing I say is he was a big reason why I came out here to play. I knew what he had done in just two years, but I also knew what he was capable of doing,” Peyton said. “That was a big part of the attractiveness of coming out to play for the Broncos. For so many reasons, I’m very grateful and indebted to Demaryius.”

Thomas tragically passed away on Thursday night at just 33 years old, and Manning — like the rest of the Broncos community — was mourning the loss of a Denver and NFL legend. The Broncos recently set up a tribute to Thomas outside the stadium on Sunday, and Manning, who was in Denver for the game, spoke with Broncos media about how much Thomas meant to him.

“He was an especially unique guy and obviously an incredible player,” Manning said of Thomas. “Dependable, accountable, tough, hard-working, unselfish, all the things you want in a great teammate, much less an incredibly talented receiver. But off the field, he was every bit as good a person as he was a player. Very giving to all of the players’ charities, very great with all the players and families, coaches’ families and kids. It’s been really tough. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family. He will be dearly missed. He was great to my kids, great to my family which is more important than any touchdown he ever caught from me.”

Manning and Thomas won Super Bowl 50 together, and though Manning’s time with the Broncos was relatively short, Thomas stayed around for nine seasons.

According to police in Roswell, Georgia., Thomas was found dead in his home on Thursday night. Police said his death was the result of a medical issue, and they do not have any reason to believe there were other causes at this time.

One of Thomas’ first cousins, LaTonya Bonseigneur, told the Associated Press that the family thinks Thomas died from a seizure.

“He had been suffering from seizures for over a year, and we believe he had a seizure when he was showering,” Bonseigneur said on Friday. “We’re not sure when he died. We just spoke with him yesterday.”

Thomas had storied college, NFL career

Thomas played college football for Georgia Tech from 2007-09, posting 1,154 yards and eight touchdowns during his final season. The performance earned him a first-round selection in the NFL Draft. Denver took him 22nd overall. 

A native of Montrose, Ga., the receiver got his start at West Laurens High School. Despite also receiving a scholarship offer from the Georgia Bulldogs, he opted to play for the Yellow Jackets. They made an appearance in the Orange Bowl in 2009, falling to Iowa. 

He went on to enjoy a decorated career which included five Pro Bowl selections and a Super Bowl. He surpassed the 1,000-yard mark in five of his 11 seasons, finishing his career with a total of 9,763 yards and 63 touchdowns. His 9,055 receiving yards over nine seasons with Denver ranks second in franchise history, and his 60 career touchdown catches are third among all Broncos. 

Thomas also spent time on the Houston Texans, New England Patriots and New York Jets. He announced his retirement from the sport just months ago in June of 2021.

Broncos fans will always remember Thomas’ integral role with the team in the early 2010s, but none stands out more than 2015. With Peyton Manning as his quarterback, Thomas finished with 105 receptions for 1,304 yards and six touchdowns. He helped the team to a 24-10 Super Bowl victory against Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers. 

In all, the Broncos made the playoffs in five of the nine seasons Thomas was on the roster. In addition to winning the Super Bowl in 2015, they also made an appearance in the big game during the 2013 season, but they ultimately fell to the Seattle Seahawks.

On3’s Ashton Pollard and Chandler Vessels contributed to this report.