Michael Thomas’ nightmare of a season won’t ever begin.
Thomas announced on Twitter that he will miss the entire season for the Saints.
The star receiver’s statement referred to the injury as a “setback,” while an NFL Network report from Wednesday morning described it as a new injury.
Thomas has spent the entire season on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, but Saints coach Sean Payton had previously said he was “ahead of schedule” in his recovery.
According to NFL Network, Thomas saw a specialist in the “last couple of days to ascertain when he’s going to be back and what issues, in fact, need to be fixed.” The injuries appear too severe to allow him to return in 2021.
“I will not be able to make it back in time for this season but will do everything in my power to get back to the player I have always been,” Thomas wrote. “I know God doesn’t make mistakes, so I will continue to follow in his path, and can’t wait to be back on the field in front of the best fans of the planet.”
That, in part, explains why the 5-2 Saints were trying to add wide receivers, including talks with the Browns revolving around Odell Beckham, ahead of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline.
Thomas, 28, was one of the most electric receivers in the NFL his first four seasons before injuries and discipline issues limited him to seven underwhelming games last season.
Thomas and the Saints were at odds last offseason over the initial ankle injury, and NOLA.com reported that he was ducking the team’s calls – which led to a delayed surgery. Thomas cryptically tweeted at the time that “They tried to damage your reputation. You saved theirs by not telling your side of the story,”
Wednesday’s social media posts suggests he and the team worked “diligently” together and are in agreement on him sitting out the rest of the season.