Former United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has joined the new ownership group for the Denver Broncos.

Rice lived in Denver during her childhood and received a bachelor's degree and her doctorate from the University of Denver.

"It is an honor to be part of this ownership group. Football has been an integral part of my life since the moment it was introduced to me, and I am thrilled to be a part of the Broncos organization today," Rice said in a statement.

"I spent much of my younger years in Denver, so to be able to combine my love of the game with my love for this great city and team is an adventure of a lifetime and a great opportunity."

In June, a group led by Walmart heir Rob Walton that includes Walton's daughter, Carrie Walton Penner; her husband, Greg Penner; and Mellody Hobson, co-CEO of Ariel Investments and chair of the board for Starbucks Corp., agreed to purchase the Broncos for $4.65 billion.

Demaryius Thomas had the degenerative brain disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE, according to doctors from Boston University who had been studying the former wide receiver's brain.

Thomas, 33, was found dead in his Georgia home this past December. At the time, his family believed that seizures, which Thomas had battled since a 2019 car crash, might have led to his death.

The coroner's office in Fulton County, Georgia, has not yet ruled on the cause of death.

Neuropathologist Dr. Ann McKee, who was part of the Boston University research team, said Thomas most likely died after having a seizure -- a condition not generally associated with CTE.