And he said that dating back to last year, he has really tried to emulate a lot of Brees’ practice habits, since it would be hard to find a better model if you’re striving for greatness.

“When I first got here, it was kind of like all new. Then I realized there’s a guy in the locker room that is one of the most consistent, if not the most consistent guy in the NFL at probably the hardest position in the NFL,” Thomas said. “So, immediately, I watched him. I watched him even when he didn’t know I was watching him.