In an emotional moment, the mother of former Denver Broncos star Demaryius Thomas was moved to tears as her son was honored in the team’s prestigious Ring of Fame just before Sunday’s thrilling victory over the New York Giants.

The Broncos marked their Super Bowl 50 victory by unveiling a bronze statue of Thomas, mounted on a stone pillar. This heartfelt tribute was revealed to his mother, Katina Smith, during a ceremony held before the game.

‘I miss touching his face,’ Smith expressed to the crowd of media and fans. ‘This tribute makes it feel like he’s still here with us and remains in our hearts. His spirit lives on through us, the community, and all his supporters,’ she added.

Thomas, a two-time All-Pro, last graced the NFL field in 2019, with his official retirement coming in June 2021. Sadly, he passed away six months later due to a seizure linked to a medical condition.

Hailing from Georgia, Thomas was a beacon of hope, rising above the challenges posed by the incarceration of his mother and grandmother on drug charges. Their sentences were later commuted by President Barack Obama, allowing Katina to witness her son’s game in January 2016 for the first time. He clinched a Super Bowl victory with the Broncos the following month.

‘His smile helped me endure many tough times,’ Smith shared with reporters on Sunday.

Broncos owner Carrie Walton Penner clap during Demaryius Thomas’ posthumous induction

Thomas speaks to the media during the Broncos’ availability for Super Bowl 50 in 2016

Thomas was also remembered by former Broncos coach Gary Kubiak, retired defensive end DeMarcus Ware and ex-Denver quarterback Peyton Manning, whose own pillar sits next to Thomas’.

‘When all of y’all asked me what’s the main reason you came to Denver, I’m not sure I gave you all of the honest answers back in 2012,’ Manning told the crowd. ‘But Demaryius Thomas was a big reason for it because I never played with a receiver quite like him.

‘I played with Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne [in Indianapolis], unbelievable receivers. But nobody was as big and as powerful as Demaryius was, and I was just kind of wondering what would that be like? And it was every bit as good as I thought it would be.’

Kubiak said it was Thomas’ smile he remembers most.

‘He put a smile on your face,’ Kubiak said. ‘The NFL’s tough. A lot of games, a lot of ups and downs, so you have some rough days. And D.T. could always catch you as a coach when you had a rough day and make you smile again and make you feel good. D.T.’s just a tremendous person, tremendous player.’

Former Denver Broncos players Juwan Thompson and Peyton Manning applaud during Demaryius Thomas’ posthumous introduction into the Broncos’ Ring of Fame

Ex-Broncos player Emmanuel Sanders speaks during Thomas’ posthumous induction 

Denver Broncos fans hold up signs commemorating the late Demaryius Thomas

A fan holds up a sign for former Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas

Impressed with Thomas’ likeness on his newly unveiled pillar, Ware said he could see his former teammate’s ‘angel-like mentality, that peace that everybody wants to have in their lives.

‘I just wanted to pray for everybody,’ Ware said, ‘because that´s what D.T. would have done.’

Thomas’ father, Bobby, said he’s still hopeful his son can be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

‘I’m hoping there’s more to come,’ Thomas said, adding, ‘especially the Hall of Fame. I can’t wait for that one.’

The current Broncos did their part on Sunday by overcoming an 18-point deficit against the Giants on Sunday to win on a last-second field goal from Wil Lutz.

Although Thomas was posthumously diagnosed with the degenerative brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the condition is not blamed for his death. Rather, his family later said he’d suffered from recurring seizures since a 2019 car crash.