Jets mourn death of Demaryius Thomas: ‘He was a bright, bright energy’

Robert Saleh and Jets players mourned the death of Demaryius Thomas on Friday.

The NFL world was shocked to its core on Thursday night, as former Pro Bowl wide receiver Demaryius Thomas died suddenly at the age of 33.

Thomas was found dead at his home in Roswell, Georgia and preliminary reports indicate that he might have died from a medical issue. Thomas spent the final season of his career with the Jets, suiting up for New York in 2019 after being acquired in a trade with the Patriots after the first week of the regular season.

Thomas’ time with the Jets was short-lived, but he managed to make a profound impact on the people he encountered at One Jets Drive in his brief stint with the organization. Thomas became a locker room favorite upon his arrival in Florham Park and was quickly voted captain by his teammates — 16 of which are still with the team today.

“This one hurts,” Braxton Berrios tweeted Friday. “DT was one of the most genuine, kind-hearted people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. Taken way too soon… Rest easy DT.”

Jeff Smith also spent time with Thomas in New York’s wide receiver room as a rookie and learned from the two-time All-Pro.

Marcus Maye, meanwhile, shared the captaincy with Thomas.

“I thank you for all our talks!!” Maye tweeted. “You touched so many people! You will be missed by us all.”

Quinnen Williams didn’t spend as much time with Thomas as Berrios or Smith given his position, but the defender still managed to learn a lot from Thomas.

“He was an amazing person,” Williams said Friday. “A person I looked up to. He helped me out tremendously my rookie year… He was an amazing person when it comes down to on the field and off the field.”

Even New York’s younger players grieved the loss of Thomas, with rookie running back Michael Carter taking to Twitter to express his sorrow.

Robert Saleh never got the chance to coach Thomas, but he said that it was well-known around the league the caliber of player and person the longtime Bronco was.

“Just an absolute tragedy,” Saleh said. “I’ve heard he’s an unbelievable pro. They produced a lot when he was at Denver. A lot of wars in Seattle too, a lot of playing those guys. Just a shame. And I’m sure there are a lot of hurt hearts in the football community for sure.”

The Jets paid tribute to Thomas on Twitter, posting a picture of him in his uniform with an accompanying statement.

Thomas caught 36 passes for 433 yards and a touchdown with the Jets, but the impact he made on those around him far outweighed any reception, receiving yard, or score. For that reason, Thomas won’t be forgotten at One Jets Drive anytime soon.

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