New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr has responded to sharp comments from former Saints receiver Michael Thomas, who publicly criticized Carr following an incident in Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers.
The fallout stems from a play in which wide receiver Chris Olave suffered a concussion after a pass from Carr. The situation has heightened tensions, particularly with the Saints struggling this season.
Thomas took to social media after the game to voice his frustrations, directly targeting Carr’s performance.
Thomas questioned why the Saints had made coaching changes while keeping Carr, implying that Carr’s presence has been a consistent issue for the team.
Thomas also accused Carr of endangering his teammates, a serious charge that resonated with fans given Olave’s injury.
In response, Carr expressed regret over the injury to Olave but firmly defended himself against Thomas’s accusations.
“Putting a receiver into harm’s way is something I would never do to a teammate,” he said.
Carr also touched on his relationship with Thomas, which he admitted has been rocky. “I’ve had so many teammates over the years, and he’s the one guy I didn’t get along with,” Carr remarked.
The respected quarterback also revealed that he had tried to reach out to Thomas in the past in an effort to reconcile, but his attempts have gone unanswered.
“My phone number has never changed. I’ve in fact called him on different occasions. Just to try. And sometimes you can try as hard as you want, and it just doesn’t work out. And that’s OK, so I don’t know why he feels any type of way,” Carr said.
Addressing the criticism from Thomas and others, Carr noted that he avoids letting outside opinions influence him, whether they are positive or negative.
“I didn’t see it. I won’t see it. Because I always ignore everything, good and bad. I try to ignore everything,” Carr said, emphasizing that he prefers to focus on what’s ahead rather than get caught up in the noise surrounding the team.
Despite the criticism from Thomas, the always respectful and positive Carr made it clear that he wishes his former teammate the best.
As for the Saints, the season has been a challenging one, marked by seven consecutive losses.
Yesterday’s disastrous defeat to the Bryce Young-led Carolina Panthers was the final nail in the coffin for head coach Dennis Allen who was fired this morning.
What are your thoughts on the Thomas-Carr situation and all of the drama in New Orleans???