Eric Decker choked back tears as he remembered his friend and former teammate Demaryius Thomas on Monday ... giving a powerful speech at the former NFL star's celebration of life.
Past and present members of the Denver Broncos flew to Atlanta to pay tribute to Thomas ... with John Elway, Champ Bailey, Courtland Sutton, TJ Ward and more attending the service.
Georgia Tech's McCamish Pavilion was filled with mementos of Thomas' career -- including game balls, jerseys, and a large #88 hanging behind the stage.
Decker and Bailey -- who both played with Thomas on the Broncos -- spoke to the crowd .