Even when the Saints’ season is over, there is always turmoil surrounding the team on NFL Sundays. Michael Thomas caused a stir when he discussed his difficult 2023 season with fans on social media and offered his perspective on the knee injury that ended the season.

If he hadn’t broken his knee early in Week 10 against the Minnesota Vikings, Thomas said he “probably would’ve had a light little (1,000) yards this year,” but he didn’t accept responsibility for his injuries. Rather, he said that quarterback Derek Carr had been “set up by a bad ball” and pointed to him.

The play was harsh. Thomas had to adjust by turning to face the defensive back and reaching vertically in order to reach the ball because it was thrown high and behind him. Akayleb Evans, a Vikings corner, and Thomas collided, twirling their legs, and Thomas’s cleat stuck in the grass as he went down, causing an unnatural twisting of his knee. He left the game and never came back.

Furthermore, Thomas claims that the Saints did not try to get the ball to him. The week prior to this Vikings game, he was only thrown to once after being targeted seven, eight, seven, and seven times. Before getting hurt last season, he averaged a career-low 3.9 receptions and 44.8 yards per game, which put him on pace for just 66 catches and 761 yards over 17 games. That must have been discouraging since Thomas was instrumental in luring Carr to New Orleans, a move he enthusiastically announced on social media.After their first practice together, Thomas likened Carr to Drew Brees.

Sadly, Carr struggles to complete passes on the routes that Thomas prefers to run, which are slants and in-breaking crosses, where he can intimidate smaller defenders with his strength and size. Throughout the season, his scattershot accuracy cost his receivers injuries: Chris Olave damaged his ankle and Rashid Shaheed strained his quadriceps trying to adapt to off-target passes. Thomas has good reason to feel this way, even though it’s terrible that it has come to this. Carr might have had greater success in 2023 if he had thrown the ball better (and in his direction more frequently). Thomas is most likely playing somewhere else in 2024 instead.