Broncos to honor Demaryius Thomas with decals, video, other tributes during Sunday’s game vs. Lions

The Denver Broncos will honor the life of former wide receiver Demaryius Thomas during Sunday’s home game against the Detroit Lions. The Broncos will wear No. 88 decals, will show a pregame video tribute and will have a moment of silence in honor of Thomas, who tragically died on Thursday at the age of 33. 

Broncos coach Vic Fangio and offensive tackle Garett Bolles addressed the media on Friday. While he never coached Thomas, Fangio spoke about the impact that Thomas had on everyone he interacted with during his time with the organization. 

“We have over 40 workers in the organization and the support staff that were around him,” Fangio said, via the Broncos’ website. “Just seeing and feeling their reaction and hurt just tells you what a special player D.T. was. I never had the opportunity to meet him, but [him being] a special player and a special person is obvious by their responses.”

Bolles is one of 10 current Broncos players who were teammates of Thomas, a four-time Pro Bowler during his nine seasons with the Broncos. 

“His legacy will live on,” Bolles said. “The one thing he always said was his name was going to be in these rafters, and everyone’s going to know who he is for so many years. We’ve got to put 88 in our hearts, and hopefully he gives us that juice, he gives us that desire to go make the playoffs. That’s what I feel like we need to do for him, and hopefully we do that.”

A slew of former and current NFL players responded to the news of Thomas’ death on Thursday night and throughout the day on Friday. Among those who publicly reacted to Thomas’ death was his former quarterback, Peyton Manning. Manning and Thomas connected for a then-Super Bowl record 13 completions during the Broncos’ Super Bowl loss to Seattle. Two years later, the duo helped the Broncos capture the franchise’s third Super Bowl title. 

Manning said that he had a text message conversation with…