Thomas was held without a catch in New Orleans' playoff loss to the Buccaneers.
Saints star wide receiver Michael Thomas is likely to have surgery on his torn deltoid and other injured ligaments in his high ankle this offseason, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Per ESPN, Thomas didn't want to miss out on a possible Super Bowl run with New Orleans in what is expected to be quarterback Drew Brees' last season.
Thomas was the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year in 2019, hauling in 149 catches for 1,725 yards and nine touchdowns. This season, however, Thomas appeared in just seven games, catching 40 passes for 438 yards. He failed to score a touchdown. He struggled with a high-ankle sprain and related issues throughout the season.
On Sunday in New Orleans' loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Thomas was held without a catch. He was targeted on four occasions.
Thomas previously set a career-low in receptions in New Orleans’ regular-season win over the San Francisco 49ers, when he went had two catches for 27 yards.
After Sunday's loss to the Buccaneers, Brees declined to say whether or not he would be retiring.
“I’m going to give myself an opportunity to think about the season … just like I did last year, and make a decision," he said.
If Brees does retire, he would immediately join NBC Sports, having signed a contract with the network to serve a prominent role in their football broadcasts.