Former NFL star wide receiver Demaryius Thomas was found deceased in his Roswell, Georgia, home on December 9, 2021. He was 33 years old, just 16 days shy of his 34th birthday.
Cause of Death:
The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office ultimately determined that Thomas’s death was due to “complications related to a seizure disorder.”His family had previously stated that he had been suffering from seizures for over a year prior to his death, and they believed he had a seizure while showering. A friend who couldn’t reach him called Thomas’s driver, who found him in the shower.
While the manner of death was classified as “undetermined,” it was not known if the seizure disorder was a result of natural causes or potentially related to head impacts sustained during his football career.
CTE Diagnosis:
In July 2022, it was announced that doctors at Boston University’s CTE Center had posthumously diagnosed Thomas with Stage 2 chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). CTE is a degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head trauma. However, medical experts clarified that CTE itself does not directly cause death and did not believe Thomas’s CTE caused the seizure disorder.
Life and Career:
Demaryius Antwon Thomas was born on December 25, 1987, in Montrose, Georgia. He played college football for Georgia Tech, where he earned third-team All-American honors in 2009.
The Denver Broncos selected Thomas in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft. He went on to have a highly successful 10-season NFL career, primarily with the Broncos (2010-2018). During his time in Denver, Thomas:
- Was a five-time Pro Bowl selection (2012-2016).
- Was a two-time Second-team All-Pro (2013, 2014).
- Won Super Bowl 50 with the Broncos.
- Recorded 724 receptions for 9,763 yards and 63 touchdowns over his career.
- Ranks second in Broncos franchise history in career receiving yards (9,055) and receiving touchdowns (60), and third in career receptions (665).
- Set a then-Super Bowl record with 13 receptions in Super Bowl XLVIII.
- Was known for his size (6 ft 3 in, 225 lb), speed, and big-play ability, including an iconic 80-yard game-winning touchdown reception in overtime against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2011 playoffs.
He also had brief stints with the Houston Texans (2018), New England Patriots (2019), and New York Jets (2019).[2] Thomas officially announced his retirement from the NFL in June 2021, just months before his death. He was posthumously elected to the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame in 2025.
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