In 2024, the Denver Broncos made the playoffs behind one of the best defenses in the league powered by Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II.
Standout play from that side of the ball and in-season improvement from rookie quarterback Bo Nix resulted in a 10-7 season and a playoff berth for the first time since the Broncos won Super Bowl 50 to cap the 2015 NFL season.
That championship win was earned through another top defense and a solid offense with one Pro Bowl player: wide receiver Demaryius Thomas.
Thomas was the Broncos’ leading receiver for six seasons and earned five Pro Bowl honors with Denver. Now, the team will honor him as the newest member of the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame.
This was Thomas’ first year of eligibility to be elected to the Ring of Fame.
‘Demaryius Thomas’ election to the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame — in his first year of eligibility — is a testament to the indelible mark he left on our organization and community,’ Broncos owners Greg Penner and Carrie Walton Penner said in a statement. ‘One of the most beloved players and greatest wide receivers in franchise history, Demaryius inspired our fans with breathtaking athleticism, record-setting performances and a joyful, infectious spirit.’
‘While we wish ‘D.T.’ was with us to celebrate this special moment, we look forward to honoring Demaryius alongside his Super Bowl 50 teammates during an unforgettable alumni weekend,’ Penner and Walton Penner said.
The Broncos drafted Thomas in the first round, No. 22 overall, in the 2010 NFL Draft. He was the first wide receiver selected in the class and spent the first nine years of his career with the Broncos.
His production jumped when the Broncos signed quarterback Peyton Manning ahead of the 2012 NFL season. Thomas had five consecutive 1,000-yard seasons and made the Pro Bowl each year from 2012 to 2016.
Denver traded Thomas to the Houston Texans during the 2018 season for a pair of draft picks in 2019. He suffered an Achilles injury late in the year and missed the final game of the season.
Thomas signed with the New England Patriots in 2019 but was traded to the New York Jets before playing a game for New England. He played in 11 games for the Jets in his final NFL season.
Thomas officially announced his retirement in June 2021.
‘… One of the things D.T. always said was he didn’t want to be forgotten when he was finished with the game,’ Thomas’ mother, Katina Smith, said in a statement. ‘It wasn’t just about football for him but how he wanted to be remembered as a person. This will make Demaryius’ dream come true to be part of the prestigious Denver Broncos Ring of Fame.
‘It’s definitely going to be emotional and I am honored to represent him. I know D.T. is smiling in heaven with this exciting news that came out today.’
He remains one of the most prolific wide receivers in Broncos history. Thomas is second in career receiving yards (9,055) and touchdowns (60). He holds the franchise single-season and single-game records for yards with 1,619 and 226, respectively.
One of his more memorable moments with the Broncos was a walk-off touchdown in the 2011 wild-card round of the NFL playoffs. His catch-and-run sealed a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Thomas will be honored during the Broncos’ annual alumni weekend. The Super Bowl 50 title-winning team will be honored during a Week 7 home game against the New York Giants.