In an interview on the Harvest Sports Podcast, New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr’s brother David Carr detailed that Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas was a key part of his brother making the decision to sign with the Saints. And through the courting process, Thomas made quite the impression on Carr. Both players played high school football in California. Thomas played his high school football at Taft High School in Woodland Hills, Callif., a suburb outside of Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Carr spent his time at Bakersfield Christian High School located in his hometown of Bakersfield, Calif.
Carr began his high school football career in Texas at Clements High School before transferring ahead of his senior year. During his lone year at Bakersfield Christian, Carr led the team to a 12-1 record tossing 46 touchdowns to just 9 interceptions. Thomas brought in a whopping 86 catches for 1,656 receiving yards and 21 touchdown catches during his senior season in 2010. While Carr and Thomas did not play against each other’s teams when the other was rostered, it didn’t keep the two from crossing paths at other times.
“Michael Thomas, they go way back,” David Carr said of Thomas’ relationship with his brother. “And they have history. So, when Derek became available, they were like ‘No, you’re coming here.’” During his introductory presser, the new Saints quarterback described the interaction in more detail.
“The first time I talked to him on the phone, I don’t think he wanted me to get off the phone,” Carr said. “I really enjoyed talking to him, and I told Mickey (Loomis), you talk to Mike Thomas and you feel like you two could go out there and face the world.” Apparently, Thomas wasted no time with strategic courting and cut straight to the chase with the veteran quarterback.
“When he started recruiting and talking to me, he wasn’t even trying to recruit me,” Carr recounted. “He was just like, ‘When are we getting to work, we’re wasting time, time is ticking.’ I was like, ‘Dude, I’m the same way.’ We’ll get there. But I think that our relationship has grown through the process, and I’m looking forward to hopefully making that relationship grow even stronger.”
So, there you have it. Thomas and Carr have are clearly excited about the opportunity ahead. And it’s not jus Carr. Thomas is without a doubt feeling the charge as well. As evidenced by his recent talks with the team. NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill reported earlier in the week that the Saints and Thomas were in productive conversations about a possible contract extension.
Thomas celebrated the signing of Carr when the news broke early last week. Considering that and his involvement in courting Carr to the Big Easy, there is reasonable optimism externally that a deal could get done.
The deal would have to be an incentive-heavy one to protect the team in the case of any further injuries after Thomas has been able to appear in only 10 games over the last 3 seasons. But, it would provide him the opportunity to earn his keep with a quarterback he is excited to work with, and with which he has now established a strong relationship.
