Former Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas was found dead in his home.
He was 33.
via People:
Thomas was found dead in his Atlanta, Georgia, home Thursday evening from what police believe to be a medical issue, Officer Tim Lupo, Roswell Police Department public information officer, confirmed to PEOPLE.
“Preliminary information is that his death stems from a medical issue, and our investigators currently have no reason to believe otherwise,” Lupo said in a statement.
Though police did not specify the medical issue, Thomas’ cousin, LaTonya Bonseigneur, told the Associated Press that his family believes he died of a seizure before they were notified by police around 9 p.m. local time.
“He had been suffering from seizures for over a year, and we believe he had a seizure when he was showering,” Bonseigneur told the outlet. “We’re not sure when he died. We just spoke with him yesterday.”
She continued, “He was alone and a friend couldn’t get hold of him, so he called his driver, who has a key because of these seizures, and he went into his home and found him in the shower.”
Thomas was a first-round pick for the Broncos in the 2010 NFL draft, spending nine seasons with the team. He also briefly played with the Houston Texans and New York Jets. In his 10-year NFL career, Thomas was a five-time Pro Bowler and also won Super Bowl 50 with the Broncos.
Thomas announced his retirement from the NFL in June, sharing a video and saying, “I’m Demaryius Thomas. I finally came to a decision to hang it up. … I’m going to retire and I’m going to retire a Denver Bronco,” he said. “… I’m done and I did well,” ESPN reportsed
Following the news of his death, the Broncos released a statement sending condolences to Thomas’ family.
“We are devastated and completely heartbroken by the sudden, tragic passing of Demaryius Thomas,” the team’s statement read. “D.T. was beloved by our entire organization, his teammates and coaches, and our fans. Recently retiring as a Bronco, we were very much looking forward to celebrating Demaryius for years to come as one of the greatest players in franchise history.”
So sad. May he RIP.
