Analysis: The Super Bowl. The Pro Football Hall of Fame. Jerry Rice's seemingly unreachable receiving records. If those marks happen to be on a goals list for New Orleans Saints receiver Michael Thomas, they remain unchecked. But, rapidly, he's striking off other accomplishments and other than the aforementioned, the two-time, first-team All-Pro is running out of goals to chase, because he already has chased down so many in his first four NFL seasons. Included among the records Thomas has re-established is single-season receptions; he snagged 149 passes from Drew Brees, Teddy Bridgewater and Taysom Hill this season – proving it actually might not matter who's throwing the ball, so long as they're able to locate an often wide-open target – to break the former record by six catches. Thomas caught at least 10 passes in nine games, and added nine catches in two more games, en route to totaling 1,725 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. He has 470 career catches (and NFL records for most catches in the first two, three and four seasons of a career) and he doesn't at all appear to have an "off" button when it comes to slowing down.
Best Game: It's hard to settle on just one, and the inclination here is to go with his 12-catch, 136-yard, one-touchdown performance against Tennessee in the next-to-last regular-season game. Because that's the game in which he set the record. He caught the record-breaking pass from Brees, thought he'd scored a touchdown on it, had the score overturned on review, then caught the touchdown pass two plays later. But instead of that game, he may have submitted his most dominating showing in the first game against Tampa Bay, with Bridgewater at quarterback. In the 31-24 victory in Week 5, Thomas caught 11 passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns and dominated the Buccaneers' secondary.
Best Quote: "I'm not surprised because somebody like him, who prepares the way he does, it's expected. He just takes his craft so seriously. I feel like he's a model receiver – like, if you want to be a great receiver, you've got to prepare the way he does with film, his body, doing extra work. He's always had that focus. I say (the production) was expected. Of course, everybody didn't think that during draft day. But you see what the production looks like now. It's crazy. Off the wall." – Saints cornerback Eli Apple.
The best photos of New Orleans Saints receiver Michael Thomas from his record-setting 2019 season.
Check out the game action between the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 5 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Another game action gallery from the New Orleans Saints win over the Tennessee Titans in week 16 of the 2019 NFL season.
Saints 30 - Texans 28 (W) 1-0
2019 New Orleans Saints All Images Copyright Michael C. Hebert
Check out the game action between the Saints and Texans at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome during Week 1 of the 2019 season.
RAMS 27 - SAINTS 9 (L) 1-0
2019 New Orleans Saints All Images Copyright Michael C. Hebert
Check out the best action shots from the Saints in Week 4 as they host the Dallas Cowboys at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Check out the game action between the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 5 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Game action photos of the New Orleans Saints taking on the Seattle Seahawks in week 3 of the 2019 NFL season.
Check out photos of the on-field action between the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons in Week 10 of the 2019 NFL season.
Check out photos of the on-field action between the New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals in Week 8 of the 2019 NFL season.
Check out photos of the on-field action between the New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals in Week 8 of the 2019 NFL season.
2nd gallery of game action photos from the New Orleans Saints win over the Chicago Bears in Week 7 of the 2019 NFL season.
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas (13) its tackled by Chicago Bears strong safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (21) and cornerback Kyle Fuller (23) during the first half of an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Check out the best action photos from the New Orleans Saints in November presented by Sony.
Check out the best action photos from the New Orleans Saints in December presented by Sony.
Check out the best action photos from the New Orleans Saints in November presented by Sony.
Check out the best action photos from the New Orleans Saints in November presented by Sony.
Check out the best action photos from the New Orleans Saints in November presented by Sony.
Check out photos of the on-field action between the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons in Week 10 of the 2019 NFL season.
Check out photos of the on-field action between the New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals in Week 8 of the 2019 NFL season.
2nd gallery of game action photos from the New Orleans Saints win over the Chicago Bears in Week 7 of the 2019 NFL season.
Check out the game action between the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 5 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Check out the game action between the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 5 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Check out the game action between the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 5 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Another game action gallery from the New Orleans Saints win over the Tennessee Titans in week 16 of the 2019 NFL season.
