Denver Broncos Wide Receiver Demaryius Thomas Thanks President Obama for Mother’s Pardon

U.S. President Barack Obama holds up a Denver Broncos jersey presented to him as a gift by Annabel Bowlen (R), wife of Broncos majority owner Pat Bowlen, while welcoming the National Football League Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos to the White House Rose Garden on June 6, 2016 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee/Getty Images

The Denver Broncos were honored by President Barack Obama for its Super Bowl 50 win against the Carolina Panthers, but for wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, the honor belonged to the commander-in-chief.

President Obama commuted the sentence of 46 prisoners—including Thomas’s mother, Katina Smith—for nonviolent drug offenses last year. The release of Smith allowed for the mother of three to witness her son play football in person for the first time ever.

“I talked to him for a quick second. I told him, ”Thank you for helping my family,'” Thomas said. “We talked about my mother and we also talked about my grandmother.”

Demaryius Thomas #88 of the Denver Broncos speaks to the media during the Broncos media availability for Super Bowl 50 at the Santa Clara Marriott on February 3, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images