Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

Antonio Brown quit on his team mid game by refusing to respond to orders to take the field while dealing with a week-to-week ankle injury.

Michael Thomas quit on his team in the offseason for a year by refusing to have surgery for a major ankle injury or return phone calls or take appointments to check on the status of his attempted rehab without surgery.

Both players had ankle injuries. Both players coaches tried to reach them to assure their availability to play. Both players ghosted their coaches and made themselves unavailable with no explanation. Both players delayed a recommended medical treatment for a few months leading to their unavailability in the season, though Thomas was not creative enough to photoshop a document saying he had the surgery in February. It just happens Antonio Brown's disappearing act was a couple offensive possessions that led to missing about half a game, and Thomas' disappearing act was an entire offseason that led to missing an entire regular season. Also, Brown pulled his antics on a cheap prove-it contract after winning a Super Bowl and Thomas pulled his antics in the second year of a record setting contract when he was his teams only viable wide receiver with a new QB coming in.

It seems to me that some people take Michael Thomas' return next season as a given and others are highly skeptical, while most feel Antonio Brown should be done in the NFL but a few feel he could be worth a shot on a cheap contract knowing the risks. I am skeptical that Thomas will return and Brown won't. I feel like both players are similar risks for next year, or would like either on a cheap prove it contract, but hate that we have so much money tied up in Thomas with all the risk he has become. I know Thomas is younger so he has more upside if he becomes reliable again, but also his injury is worse and his bad conduct is more premeditated.

Ironically, one possible upside to signing Antonio Brown could be if he influences Michael Thomas to make more bad decisions, then we could get out of Michael Thomas' contract. Bunk him with Thomas and Peat please.

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

LMAO Nobody in ANY of these forums know what conversations were or weren't had between the Saints and MT that being said believe what you want but, you need MT next year if Saints plan on winning anything thats fact.

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

Dumb thread.

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

You do bring up a good point - MT's return from the ankle next season is not a given to me. Because of what we've seen so far, a part of me worries this becomes a career-ending ankle injury. That sounds very unusual, but given how much trouble the injury and recovery has been already, who knows? The odds seem like 1 in a million that an ankle would end his career, but a little part of me worries. Hopefully I'm overthinking it and they finally are treating this injury properly.

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

I'm not so sure how dumb it is, I don't think MT is as extreme as AB but there sure were a lot of questions surrounding the surgery and rehab. I would sign AB to a short term contract depending on the condition of his ankle. Wouldn't have much to lose for a few games and he might play with a chip on his shoulder against Arians and others on his hate list. If it doesn't work out he can bring his swim trunks and head down to the Grand Isle and have a few Dixies.

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

I can’t compare the two but I believe MT has played his last snap as a Saint

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

Then there is this: The Buccaneers still have not released Antonio Brown and his ability to play the rest of the year is on the line

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

I’m not 100% convinced this has anything to do with the ankle injury anymore.

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

Dumb contribution.
If you don’t like the thread, ignore it or make a relevant argument.

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

Here is a comparison that may or may not be apt. I was all for the Saints Landing OBJ when he was available a few weeks back. As it turns out the Rams got him and he is doing very well there. OBJ seem like he was having problems in Cleveland and obviously wanted out and obviously they were more
than willing to accommodate him.

So, why is Brown so different? it’s obvious when you look at the list of “great” wide receivers through the leagues history there are more than a fair share of divas that have required special attention and demanded special recognition. Owens, Irvin, Keshawn Johnson, Steve Smith are just a few examples. There have also been guys like Rice and Calvin Johnson that just quietly got the job done. But having a Calvin Johnson type makeup is not unusual at all. Brown is not in legal trouble I believe (haven’t heard latest on his COVID passport). He apparently had issue with his coach. He’s hardly the first player to have that happen.

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

I give you credit bako. I was originally thinking our post was going to be pretty faulty to be honest. But I took time to think before I responded and Inwas
wrong. Although I still believe in CGM more than you do, you obviously got me thinking. I posted in another thread that The possibility of Thomas opposite brown with a chip on his shoulder against Ariens was “terrible”. Obviously that would be a great combo on paper. I just think some team will pay him more than a minimum contract.

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

I think Its unlikely that Michael Thomas will never play another snap. But I worry that when he comes back, the chronic injury issue and the unpredictable personality issue create a double threat to make his return brief and costly. The injury has been hard to heal so he could become the next cameron meredith or titan julio jones. Maybe Terrelle Pryor is another good analogy of a promising younger receiver whose career imploded after an ankle injury. But it seems like he has created more drama than AB had at a similar stage in their careers so he could also go the AB route. Combine the two and its also possible a bad attitude makes MT not want to rehab the best from injuries and the combination makes him an OBJ type who could be lightning in a bottle if he happens to be healthy and the franchise faces no adversity to sap his motivation, but paying about 20 million a year for lightning that mostly stays in the bottle is a bad value. I just hope we dont sign MT to any creative restructurings to free up money now that end up making the cap hit $50 million if he has to go later. Lets not tie up an extra cent and lets pay for this gamble year to year not use financing tricks to set a trap for ourselves in the future.

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

Yes but it’s Browns track record that makes it look so bad. Every player disagrees with their coach, and some vocalize it but all the guys you listed above didn’t walk off the field the way Brown did. I would go so far as to say Browns history is worse than any of the above. This goes beyond antics.

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

What chronic injury issue? What personality issue? If you guys want to play whats the worse that can happen or a big what if ok. Can we please stop making up stories with zero validity. Alot of you if not all of you jumped off board as soon as you found out he didnt get the surgery for reasons unknown. Now MT is a bad apple that might not be worth the bite? Youu guys said Cam Jordan was done you guys said MWilliams wasnt a playmaker in this league you guys said MDavenport was a bust......you see the pattern here topics make for good Saints gossip but thats about it the accuracy is far worse than Taysom Hill. He gets one ankle injury now we are questioning the career? what the hell is this? Didnt we try the AB thing out a year or two ago before the bucs? Who going to get him the ball? A WR rn does not change the Saints with Oline help and a decent QB not named Taysom Hill....Put some respect on MT you weren't crying when he went out there and played on bad ankle for Drew who threw the post season away with TO vs the Bucs. You guys think some of the players we have are that easily replaceable you are kidding yourself MT unless he requests trade is here and will be ready to next season have some d@mn optimism the same optimism you had thinking Drew would come back and play. Where is the reality Saints Forum Fantasy Island is little too much

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

Amen, and Amen!

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

Again, plenty of guys had bad track records. Smith got into multiple fights with teammates. Owens got into an altercation with Jerry Rice of all people. You may be right in that others see it as quitting on the team. He is, again, hardly the first player to do so and wouldn’t be the first to redeem himself for doing so.

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

You said some real **** right here my boy.

In regards to Antonio Brown, if he played hurt for his team to the point where he couldn’t go anymore and the coach got mad about it and kicked him off the sideline then that coach is an *******. Antonio Brown doesn’t have a long track record of doing dumb **** on the field. His issues have mostly been centered around his personality. This outburst in the middle of a game is new territory, and it’s hard for me to believe he would do that unprovoked. Should he have done it that way? No. But if I’m a leader of men I know you have to handle each man differently.

Me: Go back out there AB.

AB: I can’t go anymore Coach.

Me: Okay AB. You need to get it checked out in the locker room?

AB: I’m not sure Coach.

Me: Go ahead and talk to the trainers and see what they want you to do. We want you healthy for the playoffs.

That’s how a leader refrains from escalating **** and starting an issue with somebody he already knows is hypersensitive. You gotta know how to handle folks and get the best out of em. Tomlin really did a hell of a job in retrospect.

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

It’s not the ankle injury that makes me think he may not be back. It’s the punches, social media outbursts, and the huge blowup with the coach in front of the entire roster. These are all huge red flags that suggest he may be headed down the same road as Brown. I hope I’m wrong.

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

You lumped a lot in there for one post and I agree with about 2/3rds of it. You lumping a person’s opinions of Davenport in with a person’s opinions about a WR discussion is a bit of a reach for example.

But Thomas has missed significant time. He also apparently caught the coaching staff blindsided with the way he handled his injury. He also got into a fight with a teammate and got suspended. He also is being paid top WR dollars to be a leader for the team. It’s hard to dispute those points. Weather or not it makes him a Antonio Brown remains to be seen. But to brush off people that point out those criticisms is a mistake IMO.

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

The french had optimism that the maginot line would hold. Optimism solves nothing. Realism wins. Realistically Michael Thomas got his first major pro injury, tried to come back and play through it but it lingered, got suspended for punching a teammate, was supposed to have offseason surgery, insisted on rehab instead, didnt follow through with rehab, ghosted the team all offseason, finally had the surgery, then had a setback, and had basically been out of the league two years, while posting frequent cryptic disgruntled tweets. Thomas is acting like a young Antonio Brown. To say there are no injury or character issues is to deny reality. If Michael Thomas has a side to the story he can tell it, but instead all he has done is punch a teammate and distract the team with cryptic tweets and delay medical care. And regardless of character, ankle issues that have lingered for two years are not a given to heal. Ask Terrelle Pryor. To win we need to be realistic and identify character and health issues and not throw good money after bad. Michael Thomas might return to form. If it doesnt cost much to find out, lets hope. But we need to have a backup plan and we need to not sink more big costs in risky players. If there is big risk, it needs to be cheap.

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

Just saw a report that an outside doctor Examined Brown and confirmed that he does have a lingering ankle injury and should not have been on the field this past weekend.

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

If I put it all on the line for a coach to turn around and treat me like just another number I’d be big mad too.

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

so, you want us to sign him Rez? With all the baggage, if TPA releases him (knowing someone in the playoffs might bite, so most likely not)
Isn't there a process, that a player uses if injurered : goes to training staff, under the tent, or back in the stadium instead of the jersey ripping, blah blah?
I don't like Arians, but put this on him, I dunno

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

We are the definition of desperate. Go for it, even if it's just a rental.

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

Jesus. He's a head case. And he was a dick in Pit before they let him walk.

I'd actually be embarrassed if the Saints signed him. He isn't going to win the SB for us. And he's a complete disaster. We already have a douchy diva WR. His name is Can't Call Mike.

What's next? We can start signing more drug addicts and wife beaters like the Cows?

Nah, I'd prefer the organization to have some respect.

Just my opinion.

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

Bucs still haven’t cut him and he’s going to need surgery on his ankle based on the latest reports and the statement he just released. Bone fragments in his ankle, torn ligament, and cartilage damage. Arians is a dick. He wouldn’t be able to play even if we did sign him. He’s in the same boat MT13 medically.

As far as the interaction, AB said Arians told him to go back in the game and when he said he couldn’t Coach Arians told him he was “done” and made a “throat slitting” motion. So AB got pissed and took off the jersey because he didn’t want to wear the brand of an organization who would treat him like an animal. He had an emotional reaction, but I expect that from an emotional guy. Arians is a dick.

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

Rez, I think this is the most important statement to make and you are 100 percent right. everyone makes a big deal about ABs issues, yet Bruce Arians has a reputation of being a dirty coach and no one talks about it.

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

Shows over AB is done for the season...

Antonio Brown breaks silence on leaving Buccaneers, accuses team of cover-up regarding injured ankle.
Antonio Brown has broken his silence. In a lengthy statement through his attorney Sean Burstyn, the veteran wide receiver explained his side of the situation that unfolded on Sunday where he departed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sideline in the midst of their matchup against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.

Brown is alleging that the team is engaging an ongoing "cover-up" surrounding his injured ankle. He noted in the statement that an MRI on his ankle revealed "broken bone fragments stuck in my ankle, the ligament torn from the bone, and cartilage loss, which are beyond painful." He is also set to undergo surgery on that ankle.

Prior reports highlighted this injury as the main catalyst for Brown's outburst on the sideline and subsequent departure from the team in the middle of the game. Brown reportedly got into a spat with head coach Bruce Arians as he tried to get him into the game he the receiver refused. Once he refused to enter the game upon another request from Arians, the coach is said to have told him to "get out."

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

Yes... Lets re- sign both Michael Thomas and sign A Brown. Saints need more phantom saviours and bench warmers

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

:rolleyes::violin:

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

Drama.

AB isn’t our problem. We have enough “issues” as it is.

Tampa, Bruce, AB, Brady etc … glad it’s their issue and not ours.

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

AB needs a lobotomy or a world class hypnotherapist before we can even entertain the idea of a short term fling with him.

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

Can't call Mike better show up to training camp and earn some of the money that he's been getting paid the last two years to just sit at home not returning phone calls.

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

More info is coming out about Brown and what a douche he was in the locker room and at the game.

Now he's lying his ass off. He doesn't have a mental problem and it wasn't due to injury. He's an entitled millionaire with an attitude problem.

Screw that guy.

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

And now this comes out ...

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

I could say that about many of your posts. My opinion is my opinion. I don't need your approval. You not the boss.

Re: Michael Thomas vs Antonio Brown
 

So, from here on out all we wil hear is a he said/she said type thing. It’s sad, but true. I’m not saying sign him. I’m saying he still a talent and would be an addition to many teams.