Devin Thomas thinks Fantasia video got him cut

After a week in which he was waived by the Redskins and claimed by the Panthers, receiver Devin Thomas says he’s completely focused on football, and on helping Carolina win.

But Thomas knows some people question that focus.

Specifically, after Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said Thomas needs to be more focused on football, Thomas told Steve Reed of CarolinaGrowl.com that Shanahan got annoyed with his offseason endeavors, including appearing in the music video for Fantasia’s “Bittersweet”.

“I’ll take that to heart, and now that I have a second chance, I’ll make sure I do everything professionally,” Thomas said. “I’m focusing on football. All that stuff can come later in life. I’m looking to just become a great receiver.”

Ultimately, what matters is what a player does on the field. A player can spend the offseason making music videos or appearing on Dancing With the Stars or sitting on a tractor contemplating retirement as long as when he finally shows up, he contributes. Thomas’s problem was that he never made an impact on the field.

34 responses to “Devin Thomas thinks Fantasia video got him cut

  1. “I’ll take that to heart, and now that I have a second chance, I’ll make sure I do everything professionally,” Thomas said. “I’m focusing on football. All that stuff can come later in life. I’m looking to just become a great receiver.”
    and get more and more and more tattoos…

  2. well Fantasia lives here in Charlotte so maybe it was all part of his plan to get close to her? LOL

  3. He definitely has talent. When the light bulb finally click on he will probably be a beast. He had a couple really good games for the skins last year.

  4. Good news for Devin since Fantasia lives in Charlotte.
    Could the Panthers be more of a joke this year?
    Kravon
    PFT VP of NFL/American Idol Relations

  5. The Junkies were talking about how he was the best WR on the Redskins team last night. Obviously they proved how smart they are.

  6. I don’t know about that assessment that his problems were that he didn’t make plays on the field. Shanahan has always been know for holding grudges against players, I mean I think that Shanahan’s ego really is the problem. I was for him with the whole Haynesworth thing, and then to a point it was an ego pissing match between the two. If he couldn’t make plays, why did 8 teams jump at getting him, including the Colts.

  7. How about the fact that you stunk up the place, were a vertical threat that didn’t go vertical, and got your ass beat out by a no-namer like Anthony Armstrong.

  8. Cant be worse than when Cowboys DE Marcus Spears, and ex-Buccaneers WR Michael Clayton appeared in a video of alleged murderer Lil Boosie.

  9. When an NFL coach tells you “you need to be more focused on Football”, what he really means is, “you aren’t good enough and need to spend time getting better”…..Shanny couldn’t care less about some stupid music video you spent one day filming over the summer. So Devin, maybe you shoudn’t deflect what he was trying to tell you instead of blaming it on some BS like that……Be a better WR, that’s it….

  10. Devin Thomas was a big, fast, and physical receiver, hell he was the tallest receiver we had as well and to cut him was stupid! The kid didn’t get a shot with the first team offense this year, so how could any of you call him a bum? He was returning kicks for the team and he was ranked 5th in the NFL in kick off returns. Shanahan just never gave the kid a chance to prove himself in the offense, we keep Roydell Williams and cut a young 6’4″/220 lb receiver with speed, ridiculous! I wish him the best in Carolina.

  11. @ DonTerrelli
    What does getting tattooed have to do with any of this?
    I can see filming music videos being time consuming but to call a man out for getting tattoos is a stretch. I think you build a better argument that having a family is more of a distraction then tattoos… maybe Farve is so bad this year because of his grand kids.?. Now before any body says shit of course I am just making a point. I don’t really think families should be taboo in football but tattoos don’t make or break any ones performance on or of the field.
    Bottom line is he had zero impact on the field for the Redskins and thats why he was cut. Big let down because yet another draft pick wasted and another hole to fill.

  12. Zorn barely used the guy and said he was unprofessional.
    If Zorn, the coach that really sucked, thought devin stinks. Why wouldn’t shanny think the same too.
    Devin couldn’t beat out Galloway, Roydell Williams and an undrafted rookie. Devin has been in the NFL for 4 years and he can’t get on the field after two coaching staffs have seen him play.
    Its simple, Devin is a bust!

  13. You were cut because you didnt learn the playbook; either by flat out refusal or just too stupid.
    The guy could ball in college so I’m guessing its the former.

  14. Maybe if he took his head of out his butt, he wouldn’t be needing a second chance with another club.
    DT needs to realize that one his time in the game is over with, he’ll be just another working stiff…with no real skills to market to a future employer.

  15. Wow, it is always something else with these athletes. Devin… seriously man if it was because you were in some stupid video, you would have been cut a long time ago. Some advice… Study and practice hard or else you will be Michael Westbrook.

  16. It makes me wonder if Shanahan really see’s something in Malcolm Kelly and hopes that the kid can finally stay healthy this year. Between Thomas and Kelly, I think most will agree, it wasn’t Thomas we saw getting the boot first. Who knows, maybe when Kelly gets healthy he gets cut, too.

  17. This guy has had more chances than just about anyone I can remember. The next game the next month – that was always going to be when we saw him break out.
    How about this – you were cut because you SUCK.

  18. Jackson/Maclin, Nicks/Manningham, Dez Bryant are all NFC East wrs the same age or younger and they are having an impact. Thomas had no impact. We are looking at measurables instead of actual production. I find it hard to believe that none of his former teammates vouched for him. Not Mcnabb, not Moss, not even J Campbell or Moss told their GMs it would be a good idea to put a waiver claim on him…says a lot

  19. I feel old. I read the title and had visions of Devin Thomas watching the old Disney Cartoon movie in the locker room, and Shannahan caught him, and lost all respect for him.

  20. No Devin, you got cut cuz you suck! Nice pick Redskins. I guess you can’t always get winners like Harvin!
    SKOL VIKINGS!

  21. Nobody in less than a 20 team league with 5 starting receivers and 3 W/R flex starters would consider him in FF, yet he’s wanted for a video????
    Wasn’t Santonio Holmes available during his suspension? Coach Rex might have even joined in since he’s such a great players coach.. vomit.

  22. Ha! What an idiot! If he was producing and making plays, Im sure it wouldnt matter if he was doing PORN videos. It was his lack of production that got him tossed out of D.C.

  23. Between the two staffs, clearly he was given an opportunity. Never heard of a 2nd rounder not having been given one. Arguing that he wasn’t given one is an act of imaturity in itself.
    Without a doubt this has shaken him up. On one hand he will be given other opportunities; and on the other, they will not be as big as having been a 2nd rounder, and the patience that came with it.
    The kid has put himself against the wall. Hopefully he realizes it.

  24. Between the two staffs, clearly he was given an opportunity. Never heard of a 2nd rounder not having been given one. Arguing that he wasn’t given one is an act of imaturity in itself.
    Without a doubt this has shaken him up. On one hand he will be given other opportunities; and on the other, they will not be as big as having been a 2nd rounder, and the patience that came with it.
    The kid has put himself against the wall. Hopefully he realizes it.

  25. If my assumption is correct, and Ocho is a Bengal’s fan, I find his position on this subject amusing considering the whole Jerome Simpson experiment. Talk about a wide receiver too dumb for the playbook. Of course in his defense, I sometimes think Bob Bratowski is trying to teach rocket science….

  26. clearly he was a bum if he was able to catch, what 7 passes for 100 yards against the Saints last year & 2 TDs. Uh wait… What is clear to me is that the kid did have talent. You can argue that his head wasn’t in the game or Shanny had a grudge against him (which i believe was why he was cut). But don’t say the guy was a bum. He obviously wasn’t a bum. Its also debatable about how many chances he had… 25 catches last year for 325 yards is typical of a 1st or 2nd year receiver. They usually break out the 2nd or 3rd year. So instead of working with the guy (which we are doing with Haynesworth who basically stole 21 million from us) we cut the guy and its still a position of great need for us. So we still need OL depth, maybe a new center/guard next year, LB help, FS, WR, young QB to develop, young D lineman… its goes on and on.

  27. he had a couple of great catches at michigan state which vaulted him to the top of the 2nd round. i think he was the first receiver picked in his draft! unbelievable!

  28. tiger2471 says:
    we keep Roydell Williams and cut a young 6’4″/220 lb receiver with speed, ridiculous!
    Did he grow 2 inches in Washington? Is there something in the water there? The dudes 6’2″ in shoes. He did run a 4.4 at the combine, but there is a difference between straight line speed, and quickness out of breaks. I live in Charlotte, and hes on my team now, so I hope he does well.
    But we already have a 6’4″ (really 6’4″) young receiver who runs a 4.4, David Gettis. Then there is LaFell…6’3″, 4.5 forty.
    How do the Panthers expect to get Thomas, Gettis, and LaFell any real chances on the field. They are the same guy, like multiplicity. And dont even get me started on David Clowney.
    Rookie QB+ this WR core= No chance for success for anyone.

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