NFL legend Peyton Manning is really adding to his “all around great dude” resume, as he announced that he and his wife Ashley are teaming up with Georgia Tech to offer an academic scholarship through their PeyBack Foundation to incoming freshmen.
And the move is all in honor of former Tech star wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, who tragically passed away last year.
According to CBS, the scholarship will be open to incoming freshmen from Laurens County in central Georgia, the home of Thomas.
The scholarship will fund both full and partial scholarships for need-based students throughout their time at Georgia Tech.
Manning said in a statement:
“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.
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.”
Along with the scholarship, Georgia Tech announced that August 8th will be known as Demaryius Thomas Day from here on out, as the date is the same as his number at both Tech and in the NFL.
The Yellow Jackets will also honor Thomas throughout the football season, as one player each week will be given the number 88 to wear.
They will also wear a No. 8 on their helmet decal, and paint No.8 on the field in his memory.
The former Georgia Tech and Denver Broncos star passed away in his Roswell, Georgia home on December 9, 2021, due to an undisclosed medical issue. He was only 16 days from his 34th birthday.
Peyton Manning released the following statement on the new scholarship:
“Demaryius Thomas was an incredibly talented and unselfish teammate, but more importantly, he was a special person and friend. 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.
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.
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.”
Respect.
