Report: Michael Thomas not practicing despite being present at Saints' facility

New Orleans Saints star wide receiver Michael Thomas reportedly did not participate in practice today despite being in the team’s facility, according to Saints insider Nick Underhill. Thomas previously missed the entire 2021 NFL season with an ankle injury.

Saints head coach Dennis Allen’s main priority with Thomas is to get him healthy for week one, so missing voluntary OTA’s aren’t that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things. Still, Thomas hasn’t completed the road to recovery just yet.

“That would be our hope,” Allen said. “We feel good about what Mike’s done in the rehab process. There’s still a few hurdles that we’ve got to climb, with any of our guys that had any injuries they’re trying to get back from.”

Until Thomas returns to the Saints’ lineup, they’ll rely on a decent helping of returning receivers alongside the services of first-round draft pick Chris Olave out of Ohio State.

Michael Thomas comes to Urban Meyer’s defense amid multiple controversies

Michael Thomas is skeptical of the reports about his former coach Urban Meyer. After The Athletic released a story Monday detailing a toxic work environment under Meyer, the Saints receiver took to Twitter to offer his thoughts.

“I feel like y’all just saying anything now about Urban,” Thomas wrote followed by an emoji that implied he believes the reports are lies.”

Thomas played under Meyer from 2012-15 at Ohio State, recording a career 113 catches, 1,602 yards receiving and 18 touchdowns. The New Orleans Saints selected him in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft, and he has since gone on to make three Pro Bowl appearances in the NFL. The receiver did not play a game in the 2021 season after undergoing ankle surgery in July. 

Michael Thomas and Urban Meyer enjoyed their most successful season together in 2015 when the Buckeyes defeated Oregon to win the national championship. Meyer continued to coach at Ohio State until the end of the 2018 season, when he resigned citing health reasons and after sexual assault allegations were brought against one of his longtime assistants. Meyer returned three years later, this time taking a job in the NFL as the Jaguars head coach.