Quarterback Derek Carr returned to the New Orleans Saints starting lineup on Sunday after missing three games with an injury.
Following a throw that led to wide receiver Chris Olave leaving the game with a head injury, former Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas was blasting Carr for causing it.
Early in the Saints’ NFC South showdown with the Carolina Panthers, Carr floated a long pass over the middle for Olave. The wide receiver, who has a history of concussions, took a shot to the head from a Panthers defender and lay motionless on the field afterward. He was eventually carted off the field and taken to a local hospital to be treated for a concussion.
While some might chalk the play up to bad luck, former Saints receiver Thomas saw it as an example of ways that Carr has failed to protect wideouts from injury with his throws. He laid into Carr in a series of posts on X.
“Derek Carr for you I been told yall sh*t sad… Dude scary and panic and just throw the ball. Get him the f out of here he so *ss… They fired all them coaches trying to cover his flaws up he still doing the same sh*t…Dude tried to lie and say I was jealous of them making Chris WR1 whole time he can’t even get him a decent ball. He need his *ss whooped… That year his buddy went 1st team all pro in 2022 he needed 180 targets just to catch 100 passes. He is *ss.”
Former #Saints WR Michael Thomas is unloading right now… https://t.co/hoFxiSGDMH pic.twitter.com/0NRscCqyLW
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 3, 2024
Josh Olave, Chris’s brother, appeared to be among those who agreed with Thomas’s sentiments.
— Josh Olave (@josh_olave) November 3, 2024
That was also Josh’s first post since Oct. 7, when he questioned why Chris only received one target in that weekend’s Saints game. That also happened to be the last game Carr played before his injury.
Thomas spent 8 years with the Saints but was released this past offseason. While he put up big numbers in his first four seasons, injuries hampered his production in the back half of his time with the team.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.