Michael Thomas raised an uproar on social media this week when he publicly criticized the New Orleans Saints — taking aim at the play calling, coaching decisions, and quarterback Derek Carr, all of which he blamed for his poor production in 2023. It’s likely going to be his last year in black and gold.
To his credit, Carr didn’t disagree with Thomas’ assessment. He responded to the criticism during an appearance on the Two Gs in a Pod show with James Jones and Amber Theoharis. Carr took some accountability for the play that resulted in a season-ending injury to Thomas, which the receiver described as being “set up by a bad ball.”
“I probably didn’t throw the best ball. If that’s how he wants to view it and how he wants to see it, completely fine by me,” Carr said. Carr placed the ball too high and too far behind his target, requiring Thomas to awkwardly contort in midair to try and make a play. His legs tangled up with those of the defender covering him, which led to Thomas’ left leg initially catching in the turf before whipping around painfully, injuring his knee. A lower pass leading Thomas in stride could have lessened the risk of injury.
Thomas also pointed out that the Saints weren’t making an effort to get him the ball last season, which Carr validated. Their younger second-year wideout Chris Olave was the focal point of the offense, not Thomas.
Carr continued: “I also understand that when I came in the building we had Chris Olave, who they were trying to train to be the number-one guy. So all of a sudden, every rep and every read in practice is Chris first. And as a superstar that Mike is and as he has been, I can understand you’re dealing with all the injury noise, you’re dealing with Chris becoming the guy — and he loves Chris, that’s his guy at Ohio State and all that — but I can understand where the frustration starts to build. I understand where all those things begin to take place.”
No position is more dependent factors outside their control than wide receiver. They can’t draw up the plays to have the ball go their way, and they can’t throw it to themselves. If a receiver is stuck playing with a bad quarterback or play caller their numbers are going to suffer for it. It’s why the position generates so many big personalities. Like it or not, it’s an approach a lot of receivers take. As Brandin Cooks expressed back in 2016, “Closed mouths don’t get fed.”
Still, Carr adds, he wishes Thomas had reached out privately to hash out these frustrations rather than aired them online. If this it for them as teammates, Carr said he wishes Thomas all the best: “I hope Mike finds what he’s looking for. I hope he gets everything he wants, in life, because I do love Mike. But in that moment I didn’t really like it. Just call me bro.”
