It’s been a rough couple of years for Michael Thomas. The New Orleans Saints’ record-breaking wide receiver has been sidelined for most of the last three years with injuries to his left ankle and right foot, with extended absences leading to friction between the former fan-favorite and some vocal portions of the fanbase.
And it’s been more frustrating for Thomas than anyone. It’s his body that’s been damaged. And what was supposed to be a healing process achieved the opposite effect, leading to a series of surgeries and starts-and-stops on the Saints’ roster.
Buy Saints Tickets“I don’t want to use this as an excuse,” Thomas told ESPN’s Katherine Terrell, “But also, when you get surgeries and they put hardware in, sometimes your body rejects the hardware.”
Thomas shared that this was a recurring problem “with both” his ankle and toe surgeries, continuing: “Your body responds and healing responds to it. Whatever, I guess is, the 1%? I guess I’m in that category.”
These kinds of setbacks aren’t common, but they do happen. A variety of allergies and hypersensitivities can lead to painful reactions and disrupt the healing process. Thomas didn’t have a lengthy history of injuries or sports surgeries before these two incidents, so it’s not like it’s something he — or the team’s doctors — could have anticipated.
What’s important is that he’s on the other side of it now. He’s healthy, practicing daily, and looking to be a big part of what the Saints hope to achieve on offense this year. Thomas helped recruit Derek Carr to New Orleans. If all goes as hoped, this could end up looking like a hiatus in the career of one of the most accomplished receivers in the NFL’s modern era.
