Super Bowl Champ Demaryius Thomas Found Dead at 33

Former NFL player Demaryius Thomas, 33, was found dead in his home Thursday night, authorities say. Thomas, who officially retired in June after having last played in 2019 for the New York Jets, was a standout player with a Super Bowl ring who had been to five consecutive Pro Bowls, the AP reports. "Preliminary information is that his death stems from a medical issue, and our investigators currently have no reason to believe otherwise," says the public information officer for the Roswell, Georgia, police department. Roswell is the suburb of Atlanta where Thomas, a Georgia native, lived.

Thomas played most of his 10 seasons with the Denver Broncos, posting five consecutive 1,000-yard seasons there between 2012 and 2016, and NFL.com says he was a "key receiver during Peyton Manning's years" with the team. The two were also close friends, with Manning calling Thomas one of the best receivers he played with. "You could always count on DT. He belongs among the greatest players in Broncos history for what he's meant to this organization on the field and out in the community," said a VP of the team when he retired. Some of Thomas' former teammates said he may have been suffering from seizures recently, ESPN reports. Former teammates and opponents, as well as fans, were posting heartbroken tributes on social media.

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