NFL
Detroit Lions decline delay of game penalty as Broncos honor deceased Demaryius Thomas
Ahead of Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions, the Denver Broncos honored the late and great former receiver Demaryius Thomas, who died Thursday night.
In honor of a remarkable NFL player and a franchise great who has gone far too soon, the Denver Broncos brought emotion to Empower Field as they paid a tribute to the great former star Demaryius Thomas who died at 33 years old.
Holding a moment of silence, the Broncos displayed a moving video of Thomas’s time with the franchise that lasted 1:17 minutes.
Denver then lined up with 10 players, leaving out the 11th receiver spot vacant, the position Thomas held down for eight seasons. Upon receiving a delay of game as a result, the Detroit Lions quickly declined the penalty, receiving a standing ovation from the crowd at Mile High Stadium. The crowd started chanting “DT” while the players took a moment and paid their respects.
This gesture was just one of many tributes paid to Thomas; Broncos players wore 88 decals on their helmets (Thomas’s jersey number), the number “88” was painted on the field, and a large memorial outside of the stadium was set up for fans to pay their respect.
Peyton Manning, one of the greatest NFL quarterbacks of all time, was seen with some members of his family at that memorial. He was “absolutely devastated.”
“I texted with D.T. on Tuesday. He was talking about a TD audible we called vs. Arizona in 2014. Absolutely devastated,” Manning said.