Home

NFL

Better Person Than a Player: Peyton Manning Pays Tribute to Former Broncos Teammate Demaryius Thomas

Published 12/11/2021, 10:28 AM EST

Follow Us

The Hall of Fame quarterback and NFL star Peyton Manning, and the whole NFL community, were deeply shocked after learning about the passing of Demaryius Thomas, former Denver Broncos wide receiver. Although Peyton was heartbroken after he came to know about the sorrowful news, Demaryius was Peyton’s key target during his days in the Broncos.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

They even won the Super Bowl 50 together in 2015 after defeating the Carolina Panthers. The duo shared a special relationship on and off the field. Peyton earlier this year also shared a heartfelt video message congratulating his friend on his retirement from professional football.

When Peyton Manning Surprised Recently Deceased Teammate Demaryius Thomas With a Beloved Message

Manning teamed up with Demaryius Thomas for a Super Bowl

Demaryius Thomas gave brief stints with the Houston Texans, New England Patriots, and the New York Jets after he left the Broncos in 2018. He finished his career with 724 receptions for 9,763 yards and 63 touchdowns. Although the most fruitful years of his career were with Peyton (2012-2015).

He had two seasons of 100 or more catches, three seasons of 1,400 or more receiving yards, and three seasons of double-digit touchdowns during that span. When he was teamed with Manning, he never had fewer than 90 catches or 1,300 receiving yards. Including a Super Bowl-winning season in 2015.

Trending

Get instantly notified of the hottest NFL stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

Peyton Manning pays tribute to his deceased friend

As the news broke out that Demaryius had passed away, Peyton was completely shattered. According to the Denver Broncos communications officer Patrick Smyth, Peyton on the death of his friend said:

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

“D.T. was a better person than he was a player, and he was a Hall of Fame player. That tells you how good of a person he was. He treated my kids like they were his own. He was there for every teammate’s charity event… I texted with D.T. on Tuesday. He was talking about a TD audible we called vs. Arizona in 2014. Absolutely devasted.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

It was a nightmare for the former NFL star to learn about the loss of his four-time pro bowl receiver friend. Peyton might not see his friend again, but the cheerful cries of their Super Bowl-winning game still echo in Levi’s Stadium, and their moments together will remain immortal.

Tom Brady, Odell Beckham Jr, Russell Wilson and Other NFL Players Mourn the Loss of 33-Year-Old Demaryius Thomas

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

Written by:

Sauvik Banerjee

932Articles

One take at a time

Sauvik Banerjee is currently an NFL writer at EssentiallySports. After completing his Bachelor’s degree in English and Economics from Lucknow University, Sauvik combined his love for NFL and passion for writing to work for team ES. Sauvik has functioned as a content marketing intern at Kyari Innovations and had a brief stint with Knocksense Lucknow.
Show More>