Marvin Moore September 28, 2023
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Mike Thomas led the league in catches in both the 2018 and 2019 seasons. He was the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2019. He was ranked the fifth-best player on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020. He was the measuring stick for pass-catchers.
The three-time Pro Bowler averaged 1,378 receiving yards in his first four seasons, led the NFL in receptions twice, was named first-team All-Pro on two occasions, and caught 149 balls in 2019 to shatter Marvin Harrison’s 17-year-old record. He was the NFL’s undisputed top offensive threat.
Thomas was more than just a dynamic wideout. He was the league’s most dominant offensive weapon. He was bold and confident and once hid a cell phone in the goal posts to celebrate a touchdown and pay tribute to a unique end zone celebration of a former teammate.
The former Ohio State standout controlled the Saints’ offense. In his second season, he reeled in 26.9% of passes thrown by Drew Brees. But that was just the beginning. He caught 32.8% of the team’s completions in 2018 and 35.6% the following season. He was also durable and missed just one game from 2016-19.
Prior to the 2019 season, Thomas was rewarded with a five-year, $100 million contract extension that made him the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL at the time. He responded with a record-setting campaign.
Thomas became the first receiver in over 25 years to win Offensive Player of the Year honors after setting a league record with 149 receptions for over 1,700 yards. The sure-handed receiver also caught every ball thrown his way. He caught 85% of his targets in 2018 and 80.5% during a historic campaign a year later. Simply put, Thomas was unstoppable.
But all good things eventually come to an end. The NFL’s top wideout suffered a high ankle sprain in the final minutes of the 2020 season-opening game. Thomas was slated to return in Week 5 on Monday Night Football but was declared inactive after punching one of his teammates in practice. He suited up for six more games before a lingering ankle injury sidelined him for the final five regular season games.
Thomas had ankle surgery during the offseason, which led him to miss the entire season. He returned in 2022 but suffered a foot injury in Week 3 that ended his season prematurely. The former second-round pick has played in a meager ten games over the last three seasons.
The California native turned 30 last spring but still feels he can become an elite receiving threat again. However, the odds are stacked against the eight-year veteran. Only 20 wideouts in league history have tallied 100 receptions after celebrating their 30th birthday.
The 6-foot-3 wide receiver has gotten off to a promising start this season. Thomas is averaging six catches per game, and his 18 receptions rank 19th in the league. However, he averages just 9.2 yards per catch and has managed just 17 yards after the catch.
Unlike his glory days with Brees, Thomas will no longer be a target monster. The two-time NFL receptions leader averaged a whopping 160 targets over three seasons after his rookie year. But his love for the game keeps him motivated to perform at an elite level.
“I love the game, definitely love playing it more than watching it,” Thomas said. “I’ve grown a better, deeper love for the game, for sure. But I felt like after the first injury, I was building that same type of hunger too. Now it’s just rolling even more. I’m enjoying the opportunity to come out here and compete, and I don’t take it for granted at all.”
Thomas will never be the electrifying receiver that once shredded opposing secondaries on a weekly basis. But his comeback story is real, and it could be special.
