From a family nightmare, a Super Bowl dream has formed.
One of the most intriguing stories entering Super Bowl XLVIII was going to be the matchup between Denver Broncos emerging star wide receiver Demaryius Thomas going head-to-head against Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman.
But that matchup, already muted by the boisterous Sherman when he said he respected Thomas much more than San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree, has been shoved deeper into the background - at least until game day - by the story emerging about Thomas' incredible family history.
USA TODAY Sports reported Monday that Thomas' mother and grandmother will be forced to watch Thomas play in the Super Bowl from prison in Tallahassee, Fla., their residence since the turn of the century.
Katrina Smith and Minnie Pearl Thomas, Demaryius' mother and grandmother, respectively, have been in prison since 2000. They were convicted of conspiracy to possess crack cocaine with the intent to distribute, according to USA TODAY Sports.
Thomas spoke freely about his situation during a news conference Monday to kick off Super Bowl week.
"That drives me more, to know that they're in there and they're watching me," Thomas said Monday. "I try to go out and play my best, because I know they're going to talk about it to all the people in the jailhouse."
The report said that Thomas was 11 years old when his mother and grandmother were arrested and 12 years old when they were convicted and sentenced to prison. Smith is due for release in June, 2017. Minnie Thomas, however, has a life sentence because she had two prior convictions for selling drugs.
Demaryius' father was serving in the army, so the boy moved in with his aunt, Shirley, and her husband, James Brown, in Montrose, Ga. Brown is a minister, and the couple got him involved in church and sports.
According to USA TODAY Sports, the Denver Post did a story on Thomas and his family in 2010 and quoted his mother on being Demaryius' anti-role model.
"I tell him to be the only example he needs of what can happen and the need to obey the laws of the land, down to wearing your seat belt," Smith said. "Just look at me and my mom."
Thomas talks to his mother and grandmother after every game and will visit them after the season. Thomas says he likes the fact that he has a fan club in Tallahassee.
"They get to watch every game," Thomas said. "They've got the T-shirts. All of the ladies have the T-shirts and watch me, so that's special."
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