Ex-Saints WR Thomas to enter pretrial diversion

Katherine Terrell, ESPN Staff WriterMar 20, 2024, 04:36 PM ET
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NEW ORLEANS — Former New Orleans Saints receiver Michael Thomas will enter a pretrial diversion program instead of facing trial on two misdemeanor charges, according to the Kenner City attorney’s office.

Thomas’ attorney, Daniel “Becket” Becnel, said the charges of simple battery and criminal mischief had been dismissed following a hearing Wednesday, but a spokesperson for the city attorney’s office said that was not the case. Instead, Thomas must satisfy the requirements of the six-month pretrial diversion program for the case to be closed.

The charges were related to an incident that occurred in front of Thomas’ residence in Kenner, Louisiana, on Nov. 10, 2023. Thomas got into a verbal altercation that night with a local contractor relating to parking issues in the neighborhood. The man accused Thomas of pushing him and throwing a brick at his car windshield.

Thomas was taken into custody that night but released a few hours later. He made the trip with the team the following day to play the Minnesota Vikings but injured his knee two plays into the game and eventually went on injured reserve, ending his season.

“There was no assault, there was no brick thrown. … This was a dispute between a contractor and his employees, who were blocking his driveway and who were parking and walking on his grass,” Becnel said. “It came to a head one day, but there was no criminality involved. That’s obvious by the lack of any type of civil suit, the lack of any type of property damage, the lack of any medical issues and the lack of any physical evidence that criminal action took place.”

Thomas, a 2016 second-round pick by the Saints, was released by the team last week at the beginning of free agency after playing in 10 games in 2023.

Thomas was the 2019 NFL Offensive Player of the Year and holds the single-season receptions record after catching 149 passes that year. Ankle, toe and knee injuries limited him to 20 regular-season games between 2020 and 2023, and he missed the entire 2021 season while recovering from complications with his ankle injury.

Thomas, 31, has started 72 games in his NFL career, catching 565 passes for 6,569 passes and 36 touchdowns.

“Mr. Thomas is happy to put this behind him because he has an exemplary record,” Becnel said. “He wants to move forward with his NFL career and his personal life.”