Demaryius Thomas' Fellow SB50 Hero Reacts to His RoF Election

Putting former Denver Broncos legend Demaryius Thomas in his rightful place was always going to mean enshrining the five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver in the team's Ring of Fame. The Broncos announced on Tuesday that Thomas will be headed to the Ring of Fame this fall.

Thomas was universally respected, but that remains a vast understatement. He tragically passed away back in December of 2021, just a couple of weeks before his 34th birthday. 

Thomas' legacy still resonates in the State of Colorado, as his former teammate Chris Harris Jr. was quick to emphasize after the news of Thomas' induction was announced. 

"It couldn't happen to a better player and a better teammate than Demaryius Thomas," Harris said of Thomas, via Chris Tomasson of The Denver Gazette. "He was always willing to work. His career started with injuries and his future was uncertain but he got himself healthy. He worked incredibly hard and never complained." 

Hard work and battling through injuries defined how Thomas went about his business, both on and off the field. Such were the competitive fires that always fueled the former first-rounder, and impressed Harris, who himself went on to become one of the greatest slot corners the NFL has ever seen. 

"We had those battles in practice every day," Harris said via Tomasson. "He probably had to go against me more than anybody. We made each other better. When I had to go against a bigger receiver, I was used to going against D.T." 

In an era when the Broncos lived by the "Iron Sharpens Iron" mantra, the practice-field battles between Thomas and Harris proved pivotal to the greater success both achieved during their esteemed careers. Even so, going head-to-head never got in the way of the respect Harris had for his departed comrade. 

"He was a great leader with a great work ethic and brought it every day," Harris said via Tomasson. "He was just so physical and he had great hands." 

As fate would have it, those great hands helped propel Thomas all the way to second place on the Broncos' all-time receiving records, behind only Rod Smith — a player he resembled in many ways. The vision of Thomas streaking to the end zone to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in overtime of a Wildcard playoff game back in 2011 remains one of the most iconic moments in Broncos history.

While that sensational 80-yard walk-off touchdown still thrills Broncos fans to this very day, in truth, his big plays and the iconic moments he contributed to are etched in memory because they became so very frequent. 

Unfortunately, even the euphoric announcement of Thomas' RoF induction is tinged with sadness because he tragically didn't live to get that moment in the sun he so richly deserved. Thankfully, Thomas' mother will get to enjoy her late son receiving the ultimate team accolade when the New York Giants come to town in Week 7 this coming season. 

Bookmark the date as October 19 at Denver's Alumni weekend, because that's when Thomas' name and number get hoisted onto the stadium rafter among the greatest Broncos of all time. 

"For Demaryius and our family, this is a dream come true," Thomas' mother, Katrina, said via the team website. "Like I told Mr. Greg Penner, one of the things D.T. always said was he didn't want to be forgotten when he was finished with the game. 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." 

Dare we say it, but the next stop for Thomas should be the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day. His five-straight Pro Bowls, the record he set in Super Bowl XLVIII, the World Championship he won, and the fact that he was the No. 1 pass-catcher in the most prolific offense of all time should qualify him for Canton.