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New Orleans Saints WR Michael Thomas placed on NFL’s Injured Reserve List
Introduction
On Tuesday, November 21st, 2023 the New Orleans Saints’ organization announced that they were placing their veteran wide receiver, Michael Thomas, on the National Football League’s injured reserve list. Thomas will now have to miss at least 4 - NFL games due to his current knee injury, and Michael will now be eligible to return for the New Orleans Saints' week - 16 NFL regular season game versus the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday, December 21st, 2023.
Recent New Orleans Saints’ Injuries
This move came just one day after the New Orleans Saints head coach in Dennis Allen explained that the injuries to Thomas as well as the New Orleans Saints starting cornerback, Marshon Lattimore (ankle), will "take some time" in order to heal. Both players, who were injured during the New Orleans Saints' loss to the Minnesota Vikings in the NFL’s week - 10 regular season match up, spent their previous bye week rehabbing his injury.
Allen did not want to commit either of those two players to the NFL’s injured reserve list stints last Monday, and Lattimore had remained on the active roster as of Tuesday, November 21st, 2023. Allen described both injuries as "fairly significant" last week, but he mentioned a week ago that those two players were currently waiting for second opinions from medical professionals.
"I think we're all on the same page in terms of where we're at," said the New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen during his latest update to the major sports media outlets.
Michael Thomas
Thomas managed to injure his knee after he took a very hard hit on the 1st - offensive play during the Minnesota Vikings game, but Thomas somehow stayed in to catch a pass from his quarterback on the very next play then getting up and walking off of the field and straight in to the team’s medical tent. Michael spent the remainder of the Minnesota Vikings game witnessing it from the New Orleans Saints’ sideline.
The veteran wide receiver of the New Orleans Saints has now spent significant time on the NFL’s injured reserve list over the course of the past 4 - consecutive NFL seasons, dating back to a week - 1 ankle injury in the 2020 - 2021 NFL regular season opener. Thomas played in only 7 - games during that season, and he went on the injured reserve list for the last 3 - games of the NFL regular season only to return for the New Orleans Saints' 2 - NFL playoff games that season.
Michael had to undergo ankle surgery prior to the 2021 - 2022 NFL season as he began that year on the physically unable to perform list (pup list), and the complications with his recovery then resulted in him having to miss that entire NFL season. Thomas returned to play in only 3 - games to begin the 2022 - 2023 NFL season, but he managed to dislocate his toe during a week - 3 football game causing him to miss the rest of that season as well.
Thomas has played in just a total of 10 - games so far this season, catching 39 - passes which was good for 448 - receiving yards as well as 1 - touchdown. Michael signed a five - year contract extension worth up to approximately $100 million prior to the 2019 - 2020 NFL season, and then he went out and won the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year Award following him pulling in an NFL record of 149 - receptions that year. So, you never know what you will ultimately get out of Michael Thomas and long he will remain healthy and on the field for.
The New Orleans Saints did indeed rework Thomas' current NFL contract two times during the past 2023 NFL offseason, agreeing to keep him on the New Orleans Saints team roster, which was effectively a 1 - year deal valued at $10 million but could be ultimately worth up to $15 million. His contract will now most likely have to be re - addressed again in the upcoming 2024 NFL offseason if Michael will be returning to the New Orleans Saints organization once again for the 2024 - 2025 NFL season.
The New Orleans Saints just did sign the wide receiver in Marquez Callaway to the New Orleans Saints practice squad in the wake of the recent Thomas move. Callaway played for the New Orleans Saints from 2020 to 2022, and Marquez has 7 - NFL career touchdowns at the moment.
Thomas’ Football Career Achievements, Honors, & Awards
- NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award Winner (2019)
- 2 - Time NFL First - Team All - Pro Selection (2018, 2019)
- 3 - Time NFL Pro Bowl Selection (2017, 2018, 2019)
- 2 - Time NFL Receptions Leader (2018, 2019)
- NFL Receiving Yards Leader (2019)
- PFWA All - Rookie Team Selection (2016)
- College Football Playoff National Champion (2015)
- Third - Team All - Big Ten Selection (2015)
NFL Records
- Most Receptions in a Single NFL Season with 149
Sources:
“Saints place WR Michael Thomas on IR with knee injury”, Katherine Terrell, espn.com, November 21, 2023.
“Michael Thomas”, pro-football-reference.com, November 22, 2023.