Peyton Manning announces scholarship endowment with Georgia Tech in Demaryius Thomas' name

In memory of late Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, Peyton Manning has announced a scholarship endowment with Georgia Tech in Thomas' name.

"Demaryius Thomas was an incredibly talented and unselfish teammates, but more importantly, he was a special person and friend," Manning wrote on social media Wednesday. "My family and I miss him dearly, and we wanted to honor D.T.'s memory by partnering the PeyBack Foundation with Georgia Tech to establish the Demaryius A. Thomas Scholarship Endowment.

Thomas died December 2021 at age 33. He announced his retirement June 2021 after a 10-season NFL career.

Thomas was a first-round pick in 2010 out of Georgia Tech and recorded the second-most receiving yards with the Denver Bronco in franchise history.

Manning's statement continued: "An important part of Demaryius' legacy was the way he inspired the next generation to pursue their dreams with the same perseverance and determination that defined him.

MORE: What we know about the death of former NFL star Demaryius Thomas

"Through this scholarship to Georgia Tech, Demaryius will have a lasting impact on deserving youth from his hometown area who can follow in his footsteps and accomplish great things in life."

In addition to the scholarship, Georgia Tech athletics announced that Aug. 8 of each year will be recognized by Tech as Demaryius Thomas Day. Thomas wore No. 8 at Georgia Tech and No. 88 for the majority of his pro career.

Georgia Tech football will also "honor Thomas’ memory throughout the 2022 season with a No. 8 helmet decal and a No. 8 memorial painted on the field for home games at Bobby Dodd Stadium," the school announced Wednesday.

Contact Analis Bailey at aabailey@usatoday.com or on Twitter @analisbailey.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Peyton Manning announces scholarship in Demaryius Thomas' name