Michael Thomas played through incredible pain for Drew Brees

In what could be his final game. Drew Brees saw the New Orleans Saints star receiver return just to give him a shot a Lombardi Trophy. 

Drew Brees enabled every trait needed to be a great signal-caller during his 20-year NFL career. A leader in the locker room and commander on the field, Brees was owed respect from all players. More than that, he was the person everyone wanted to play for.

It’s why Michael Thomas suited up last Sunday.

According to reports from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Tomas played through multiple injures, including a torn deltoid muscle, with the hopes of getting Brees back to the Super Bowl. He was limited on the afternoon, tallying zero catches on four targets in a 30-20 loss to NFC South rival Tampa Bay.

The week prior in the Wild Card Round against the Chicago Bears, Thomas tallied five catches for 73 yards and his first touchdown on the season.

Michael Thomas felt he owed Drew Brees a chance for a trophy

Although limited in 2020 due to inures, one can’t deny that Brees transformed the former Ohio State wideout into one of the game’s premier players. After being drafted 47th-overall in 2016, Thomas exploded in the Bayou as the go-to target on offense.

In five years with the 42-year-old quarterback, Thomas tallied 510 total catches for 5,950 yards and 37 career touchdowns. Last season, the New Orleans Saints agreed to terms on a five-year, $100 million extension to make him the highest-paid receiver in league history.

While he didn’t live up to his side of the bargain in 2020, his back-to-back 120-plus reception seasons will buy him another year to prove he’s worth every penny.

Brees has yet to confirm if he will leave the game for good following the playoff exit. His look back at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome certainly felt like a goodbye to the fanbase and the city of New Orleans.

Thomas might not have been a factor, but credit is due for the efforts of being out on the field. Brees wanted one more shot at the Lombardi Trophy, and Thomas was out there to try and help.