The New Orleans Saints have plenty of experience playing without Michael Thomas, and they’ll need to draw on that again with the wide receiver scheduled for toe surgery that is expected to wipe out another season.
Thomas, who hasn’t played since September 25, was placed on injured reserve Thursday because his dislocated toe did not respond well to rehab, Saints coach Dennis Allen said.
"I’m not going to get into any time frames right now. I don’t know," Allen said. "He’s going to go on IR. I don’t anticipate that he’ll be able to return this year."
After missing just one game in his first four NFL seasons, Thomas was limited to seven games in 2020 and did not play at all in 2021 due to an ankle injury and complications related to surgery in summer 2021. He will have missed most of the past three seasons since his five-year, $96million extension went into effect in 2020.
"I think Mike worked his tail off and did everything he possibly could to try to rehab it," Allen said. "This is just something that happens from time to time. It didn’t respond the way we wanted it to, so we felt like surgery was the best option to go ahead and repair it and try to get him healthy."
Thomas had at least 92 receptions in each of his first four seasons and was an All-Pro in 2019, when he set an NFL record with 149 catches and finished that season with 1,725 yards and nine touchdowns.
His 470 receptions from 2016 to 2019 led the league, with DeAndre Hopkins in second with 393.
Running back Alvin Kamara strongly defended Thomas.
"I just saw a couple comments in the media about him," he said. "Basically like, ‘You can't’ trust him, he’s not being honest about his injury, why is he waiting until now to be ruled out?'
"I’m like, man, nobody knows what we go through in here. The masses get to see Sunday. It’s a lot of s--- we’ve got to go through.
"A player like that, that’s fighting to get back, not only for his team, but for the fans and for his city… for people to be talking s---, it’s like, ah, it hurts my soul to see that."
Jamaican thrower Rojé Stona earns invite to Green Bay Packers minicamp
Rojé Stona, the standout discus thrower from Jamaica, has received an invitation to the Green Bay Packers' minicamp, showcasing his potential as a professional football player despite his background solely in track and field.
Stona's achievements in 2024 have been remarkable, including a silver medal in NCAA Indoor shot put, setting a University of Arkansas indoor shot put record with a throw of 20.48m and achieving a career-best discus throw of 69.05m that surpasses the Paris Olympics standard.
At 6’ 6” and 263 lbs and known for his NFL body type and impressive athletic traits, Stona is venturing into the world of professional football without prior competitive experience in the sport. His background in discus and shot put has endowed him with explosive hips, exceptional core strength, long arms, and large hands—attributes that make him a compelling prospect as a tight end.
Despite his lack of football background, Stona's athleticism has caught the attention of NFL scouts. He performed well in running and jumping during his recent pro day, showcasing his raw potential. However, transitioning into football will require Stona to learn essential skills such as blocking and refining his route running and catching abilities.
As he embarks on this new journey, Stona is committed to proving himself and becoming a successful NFL player. His determination and physical gifts make him a promising candidate for teams looking to invest in an undrafted free agent with significant upside.
Stona's invitation to the Green Bay Packers' minicamp marks an exciting chapter in his athletic career, and he is poised to make the most of this opportunity as he pursues his dream of playing professional football.
Elliott targets Super Bowl after sealing dream return to Dallas
Ezekiel Elliott is eyeing a Super Bowl run after rejoining the Dallas Cowboys, saying a return to the franchise where he started his NFL career had dominated his thoughts for the last year.
On Monday, the Cowboys struck a deal to bring Elliott back to Dallas after one season with the New England Patriots.
The Cowboys took Elliott fourth overall in the 2016 NFL Draft out of Ohio State, and he led the league for rushing yards both as a rookie (1,631 yards) and again in 2018 (1,434).
The three-time Pro Bowl running back was less impressive in his last three years with the franchise before being released, spending 2023 with the Patriots as they went 4-13 in Bill Belichick's final campaign at the helm.
Dallas have moved to bring him back to AT&T Stadium after losing Tony Pollard to the Tennessee Titans in March, and he can't wait to get started again.
"It feels great to be home," Elliott said. "I definitely missed being here.
"I missed this building. I missed the Cowboys nation. I'm definitely excited and ready to get this thing going."
Speaking to The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Elliott said he was always keen on coming back, adding: "This was my priority, doing what I could do to get back here.
"I have a lot left to accomplish here. I'm excited to get back with the fellas and chase that ring.
"From 2016, we've been working on building this franchise to get a chance to win the Super Bowl. That is obviously the priority. That's the bar."
Asked what he had learned in New England, Elliott said: "Just showing I can be a starter in this league. I can still play at a high level, not just when running with the ball but also protecting the quarterback and catching the ball out of the backfield.
"Being in this league for as long as I have been, and being comfortable with who I am, and having as many reps as I have, I can focus on bringing other guys along and help them find their way.
"There's a lot of skilled guys and guys with a lot of different talents in our RB room. It'll be exciting to work with them, to push each other and help each other become better football players."
Elliott ran for 642 yards and three touchdowns in 17 games with New England last season. He ranks third in Dallas franchise history for rushing yards (8,262), behind Emmitt Smith (17,162) and Tony Dorsett (12,036).
Star NFL tight end Kelce reportedly agrees to two-year extension with Chiefs
Travis Kelce has been instrumental to the Chiefs' success over the past few seasons and will remain in Kansas City for the next few seasons.
The four-time All-Pro tight end and the Chiefs have agreed to a two-year contract extension, according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.
Terms of the extension were not disclosed, but Rapoport reported Monday that the deal will make him the NFL's highest-paid tight end.
Kelce is currently under contract through 2025, so the new deal will keep him in Kansas City through 2027 after his age-37 season.
The 34-year-old Kelce is Kansas City's all-time leader in receiving yards with 11,328 yards, while ranking second in receptions (907) and second in receiving touchdowns (74). He is just 10 catches away from passing Tony Gonzalez as the franchise's all-time leader in receptions and three TD catches away from surpassing Gonzalez's record in that category.
A third-round pick by the Chiefs in 2013, Kelce saw his NFL record streak for a tight end of consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards end at seven in 2023, when he finished with a team-high 984 yards. His 93 receptions were also the most on the Chiefs, and he had five touchdown grabs.
It may have been a down season by his standards, but he was still named to his ninth Pro Bowl team and once again produced in the play-offs.
In helping Kansas City defend its Super Bowl title and secure its third Lombardi Trophy in the last five seasons, Kelce caught 32 passes for 355 yards with three touchdowns in four play-off games. In the Chiefs' 25-22 overtime win over the San Francisco 49ers in February's Super Bowl, Kelce had nine receptions for 93 yards,
In addition to being one of the most prolific tight ends in NFL history and a core member of the Chiefs' recent dynasty, Kelce has gained enormous popularity in the last year due to his relationship to pop icon Taylor Swift.
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