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Broncos legend Peyton Manning chokes up while paying tribute to Demaryius Thomas
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- Broncos legend Peyton Manning chokes up while paying tribute to Demaryius Thomas
The post Broncos legend Peyton Manning chokes up while paying tribute to Demaryius Thomas appeared first on ClutchPoints .
The Denver Broncos honored a key piece to their 2015 Super Bowl win on Sunday. Demaryius Thomas , the late wide receiver who was part of Denver's magical run to the Super Bowl in 2015, was posthumously inducted into the Broncos' Ring of Honor. Thomas joins his former teammates in the prestigious hall, a hall that includes his quarterback, Peyton Manning .
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Manning and Thomas were close friends and teammates during their stint together. That much is clear when you see how the legendary quarterback reacted to the tribute for the late Broncos legend. Manning was visibly emotional while being interviewed about the event, tearing up when talking about his friend. He also revealed that the star wide receiver was a key reason for him joining the team in the early 2010s.
Manning also talked about how special it is that Thomas' name will be next to him in the Broncos' Ring of Honor.
Manning joined the Broncos in 2012 after a long, prestiguous stint with the Indianapolis Colts . At the time, Thomas was a third-year wide receiver coming off a 551-yard season with Tim Tebow as his quarterback. With the "Sheriff" as his quarterback, Thomas broke out as one of the best receivers in the NFL during that stretch. He amassed 1,434 yards in his first season with Manning throwing the ball, and had a career-high in receiving yards in 2014 with 1,619 yards. The crowning moment of the Manning-Thomas partnership was, of course, in 2015, when Manning defied the odds and led the Broncos to their first Super Bowl win since 1998.
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Unfortunately, Thomas passed away in 2021 after he was discovered unconscious at his home in Georgia. His death was attributed to a seizure, most likely a symptom of his chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE. The Broncos honored his legacy this year by formally inducting him into their Ring of Fame, joining Manning as the only two members of the 2015 championship roster.
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