Katina Smith watched her son, Demaryius Thomas, play in the NFL for the first time on Jan. 17, 2016.

“It’s still fresh in my brain,” Smith told The Denver Gazette.

The Broncos hosted the Steelers in the AFC divisional playoff round — on their path to win Super Bowl 50 — with Thomas as their established star wide receiver in his sixth NFL season. His mother never watched him play because she was sentenced to 20 years in prison when Thomas was just 11 years old.

Smith later received a presidential pardon about five years short of her full sentence as a nonviolent drug offender. Smith finally got the chance to see her son play football.

“A lot of people had been taking some jabs at me about being incarcerated. So, I didn’t know what to expect from the other NFL moms. If anything, they made me feel so welcome,” Smith said in a recent phone interview. “It was so amazing, that first game, and I was so proud of Demaryius. Here I am. I actually got a chance to see my son in his element. To play with me there. Because I know the years that I missed … he was probably worried about me, and he didn’t need to be worried about me, because I was worrying about him.

“I’m going to be honest, even though the Super Bowl was awesome … that first game that I went there, I was so elated. I was so proud.”

Smith resides in Georgia but returned to Denver this weekend to honor her son. The Broncos will unveil a pillar statue of Thomas at 11:30 a.m. Sunday at the Ring of Fame Plaza on the south end of Empower Field at Mile High. The Super Bowl 50 team will be honored at halftime, and Thomas’ name will be unveiled on the Level 5 facade of Empower Field at Mile High.

Thomas once told a family friend that he envisioned going into the Ring of Fame someday.

“They are making his wishes and his dream come true,” Smith said.

DT’s absence looms large on a celebratory weekend with mixed emotions. Thomas died in 2021 as a result of seizure disorder complications. He was 33. Former Broncos teammates like offensive tackle Garett Bolles, retired defensive back David Bruton and wide receiver Courtland Sutton were devastated.

But they all spoke fondly of DT memories this week and his impact on their lives.

Bolles: “Demaryius was very close to me and my family. He was uncle DT to my (son) at the time when he was younger. I remember him just always holding him at practice and things like that. … Seeing him get that honor is amazing for him and his family. I know he’s looking down on us.”

Bruton: “A piece of DT is with every single one of us. If you’ve had a chance to interact with him, you carry a little bit with you too, right?”

Sutton: “I didn’t get to spend a whole bunch of time with him, but the time I did, he was so impactful that I can sit here all day and talk about the man that he was. Beyond the football player, just the man that he was. He carried himself in such a way that you can only aspire to be able to be talked about in the likes that he is talked about as a person.”

Smith explained what made others gravitate toward her son in life.

“DT has always been himself. He has never tried to pretend to be someone else,” Smith told The Denver Gazette. “I taught him: ‘You were born with it. You’ve got that it-factor in you. Just be yourself. People will gravitate towards you.’ His heart, his smile and the way he approached people, he cared about everyone. He wanted to make sure that everyone felt special. … He always wanted people to see him as a football player and a person at the same time.

“His caring and loving heart is what drew people to him.”

That connection extends to Broncos Country.

Smith forged connections with multiple families around Denver with a passion for Thomas and the Broncos. The Garcia family sent her newspaper articles and photographs of her son’s football career while she was incarcerated. The Durkee family became close to Smith after their son, Drake, died tragically and was buried in a No. 88 Thomas jersey. Smith also became close with the families of DT’s teammates.

“Especially Von Miller’s mom, Gloria,” Smith said. “She was my angel in disguise, her and her family. But also, Emmanuel Sanders’ family and Chris Harris’ family. There was a lot of them.”

There is no denying DT’s on-the-field accomplishments. The first-round pick in the 2010 NFL draft spent nine seasons in Denver and finished his career as the second-leading receiver (9,055 yards) and third in catches (655). Thomas compiled 9,763 yards receiving over a 10-year NFL career.

Smith and DT’s father, Bobby Thomas, will be in attendance on Sunday when their son is honored in the Ring of Fame inside Empower Field at Mile High. Smith is overwhelmed by the support. She even received a call from Broncos ownership ahead of the game.

Smith is thankful for the team’s ongoing support dating back to her first game in 2016. She returns on Sunday with gratitude for a fan base that still loves her son. DT would be proud.

“My emotions, I’m not going to even lie to you, they are all over the place,” Smith said. “I don’t know why, because it’s not me. They’re acknowledging my son. But at the same time, I’m representing him. I don’t want to make a mistake. I don’t want to leave anyone out. … But I’m also a proud parent. I’m very elated because they have put so much into honoring him with this Ring of Fame, and all of the people behind the scenes.”