Former New England Patriots and Denver Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas was diagnosed with Stage 2 CTE at the time of his death at 33 years old, according to doctors from Boston University. Thomas was also managing seizures, a condition unrelated to his CTE symptoms, according to The New York Times. Doctors believe he likely died after a seizure on December 2021, according to The Times.
Thomas played in the NFL for 10 seasons, with time spent on the Denver Broncos (2010–2018), Houston Texans (2018), New England Patriots (2019) and New York Jets (2019). He won Super Bowl 50 with the Broncos and made four Pro Bowls. But that impressive NFL career took its toll on Thomas’ well-being.
Those closest to him said his behavior became increasingly erratic in the last year of his life, which was marked by the memory loss, paranoia and isolation that are hallmarks of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head hits.
Thomas is one of many former NFL players to suffer from CTE, with his story serving as yet another sobering reminder of the costs of playing in the NFL.
