Tom Brady Calls Demaryius Thomas 'Source of Light' After Former NFL WR's Death at 33

Mike Chiari @@mikechiariFeatured Columnist IVDecember 10, 2021

DENVER, CO - NOVEMBER 12: Tom Brady (12) of the New England Patriots holds Demaryius Thomas (88) of the Denver Broncos close after the Patriots' 41-16 win on Sunday, November 12, 2017. The Denver Broncos hosted the New England Patriots. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady remembered Demaryius Thomas on Friday following news of the former NFL wide receiver's death breaking on Thursday night.

Brady posted a picture of himself and Thomas on Twitter and wrote a heartfelt message about a man whom he considered a friend:

Tom Brady @TomBrady
Im so sad to wake up this morning to hear about the passing of my friend Demariyus Thomas. We were all blessed with his humility and positive spirit, and we will all miss him. This photo is from the Hall of Fame this past August, a source of light as always. 🙏 RIP <a href="https://t.co/o3hvQN0cRz">pic.twitter.com/o3hvQN0cRz</a>

According to ESPN's Jeff Legwold, police in Roswell, Georgia, said Thursday that Thomas was found dead in his home at the age of 33.

Police also said early indications are that Thomas' death was the result of a "medical issue," and his cousin LaTonya Bonseigneur said Thomas had been suffering from seizures, leading his family to believe he had a seizure while showering.

During his 10-year NFL career from 2010-19, Thomas was a four-time Pro Bowler and one-time Super Bowl champion.

He most notably played for the Denver Broncos from 2010-18, which is where he achieved his greatest success. In parts of nine seasons in Denver, Thomas finished with 1,000 or more receiving yards five times and double-digit touchdowns three times.

Along with Emmanuel Sanders, he was one of quarterback Peyton Manning's favorite targets, and he played a big role in Denver reaching and winning Super Bowl 50 at the conclusion of the 2015 season.

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Thomas went on to spend part of the 2018 season with the Houston Texans and appeared in 11 games for the New York Jets in 2019.

While Brady and Thomas were never teammates in the regular season, they did spend some time together leading up to the 2019 season.

The New England Patriots signed Thomas in April 2019 before releasing him four months later. They re-signed him days later, but he was traded to the Jets before the regular season started.

All told, Thomas finished his NFL career with 724 receptions for 9,763 yards and 63 touchdowns, making him one of the most productive wideouts of the 2010s.