ATLANTA — Georgia Tech celebrated the life and legacy of former wide receiver Demaryius Thomas on Monday when they officially announced Aug. 8 as "Demaryius Thomas Day," honoring his jersey number.
The former Yellowjacket standout and Super Bowl-winning wide receiver with the Broncos died on December 9, 2021, from complications related to a seizure disorder, according to autopsy results recently released.
Thomas' former Denver Broncos teammate and NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning was among those on hand for the inaugural 8/8 Day and delivered a speech in Thomas' honor.
"Demaryius was the best teammate and an even better person," Manning said. "On the field with the Broncos, he was the most unselfish teammate I ever played with. He always put the team before himself. Off the field, he was a caring, giving and gentle old soul."
Manning and his wife Ashley endowed a scholarship in his memory through the Peyback Foundation that will help students from Laurens County, Thomas' hometown, attend Georgia Tech.
"This is a bittersweet day," echoed Manning. "We are so appreciative of Georgia Tech making this happen, but we miss him, and we'll never stop missing him."
Thomas, who wore No. 8 while at Georgia Tech and No. 88 with the Broncos, was honored with an on-field logo at Bobby Dodd Stadium that reads "DT8" between the 20 and 30-yard lines in his memory.
This season and moving forward, the Yellowjackets will pay tribute to Thomas, with two players wearing the esteemed No. 8. who exemplify his character. Wide receiver Nate McCollum and defensive tackle Makius Scott will have a distinct honor this season.
"I'm proud those two are the ones that are going to be able to represent him in the white and gold," Georgia Tech head football coach Geoff Collins said.
In attendance were three of the first five scholarship recipients for 2022, representing Thomas' commitment to his community already paying dividends.
“I’m not sure if there’s a better gift than the gift of education,” Manning said. “And the fact that all the scholarship recipients are from the same area he grew up in in Middle Georgia, his county, that’s important. That’s Demaryius. That’s who he was. He’s helping them. That scholarship will live in perpetuity.”