DENVER — The pillar for Demaryius Thomas in the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame plaza outside Empower Field was revealed in a ceremony Sunday, with the NFL franchise honoring the late receiver during a celebration of its Super Bowl 50 championship team.
“That smile took me through some very hard times,” said Katina Smith, who broke down in tears when her son’s pillar was unveiled prior to Denver’s game against the New York Giants.
The Broncos celebrated Thomas during their alumni weekend that featured the 10-year reunion of their 2015 team — which included Thomas — that won Denver’s third Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Thomas, who played at Georgia Tech in his home state before becoming a first-round pick of the Broncos in the 2010 NFL draft, died in December 2021 at age 33 after suffering a seizure.
“I’m wanting to touch his face again,” Smith said as she reached out to caress the cheeks on his bronze image. “This right here, it’s like he’s still here with us today and in our hearts. So he lives on through all of us, and through all the community and his fans.”
Former Broncos coach Gary Kubiak said that smile was what he remembered most about Thomas.
“He put a smile on your face. The NFL’s tough. A lot of games, a lot of ups and downs, so you have some rough days. And D.T. could always catch you as a coach when you had a rough day and make you smile again and make you feel good,” Kubiak said. “D.T.’s just a tremendous person, tremendous player.”
DeMarcus Ware said when he first saw Thomas’ image on the pillar, “I saw that angel-like mentality, that peace that everybody wants to have in their lives, and I just wanted to pray for everybody … because that’s what D.T. would have done.”
Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, whose pillar is next to the one honoring Thomas, called him “every bit as good a human being as he was a player,” and he revealed that Thomas was a big part of him choosing to play in Denver after spending his first 13 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts.
“When all of y’all asked me what’s the main reason you came to Denver, I’m not sure I gave you all of the honest answers back in 2012. But Demaryius Thomas was a big reason for it, because I never played with a receiver quite like him,” Manning said.
“I played with Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne, unbelievable receivers. But nobody was as big and as powerful as Demaryius was,” Manning said, “and I was just kind of wondering what would that be like? And it was every bit as good as I thought it would be.”
The 6-foot-3, 225-pound Thomas played eight-plus years in Denver, setting multiple franchise receiving records before being dealt to the Houston Texans in 2018 via a midseason trade. The following year, he played his 10th and final NFL season for the New York Jets. The five-time Pro Bowl selection officially announced his retirement in June 2021.
Bobby Thomas, his father, called Sunday’s unveiling “a beautiful moment.”
“I’m hoping there’s more to come,” Thomas said, “especially the (Pro Football) Hall of Fame. I can’t wait for that one.”
Kubiak presented wide receiver Andre Johnson, whom he coached in Houston, for induction at the shrine in Canton, Ohio, last year, and the former head coach said “D.T.’s not far behind him. In a lot of ways the same type player, same type person. So I look forward to being there someday for him.”