National Football League

Saints place WR Michael Thomas on injured reserve, needs toe surgery

Updated Nov. 3, 2022 7:46 p.m. ET

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The unfortunate hits keep coming for Saints star wideout Michael Thomas, as coach Dennis Allen announced Thursday that Thomas will require surgery on a dislocated toe and that the team will place him on injured reserve.

Thomas' season is likely over, according to Allen. 

Thomas suffered the toe injury in a Week 3 loss at Carolina. Assuming his season is over, he will end the 2022 campaign with 16 catches, 171 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

"Mike worked his tail off and did everything he possibly could to try to rehab [the toe]," 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."

Alongside the now-retired Drew Brees, Thomas emerged as arguably the game's best wide receiver with his production between 2016 and 2019. He notched 1,137 receiving yards and nine scores in his rookie season, before catching 104 balls for 1,245 yards and five scores in his sophomore campaign. 

In his third year, he led the league in receptions (125) and tallied 1,405 receiving yards and nine scores. Then, in 2019, he set the NFL record for most receptions in a season (149), and led the league in receiving yards (1,725). 

However, since then, the three-time Pro Bowler, two-time first-team All-Pro performer and 2019 NFL Offensive Player of the Year has been unable to stay healthy.

Thomas started just five games in 2020 as he battled a high ankle sprain suffered in Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He would appear in just seven games that season.

Thomas would then go on to miss the entire 2021 season after undergoing surgery on his injured ankle. He came into 2022 with what appeared to be a clean bill of health before suffering the toe injury in Week 3. 

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