Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas took a swipe at the team on social media Monday, but head coach Sean Payton avoided commenting on it later in the day.
Thomas wrote on Twitter that “they tried to damage your reputation” and that he “saved theirs by not telling your side of the story” in apparent reference to a recent report that he ignored calls from Payton and others in the Saints for months before deciding to have ankle surgery in June. Thomas is expected to miss regular season time as he recovers from the operation.
During his Monday press conference, Payton was asked to comment on Thomas’ tweet but declined to do so.
“I don’t want to have a press conference based on social media,” Payton said, via Luke Johnson of the New Orleans Advocate.
Thomas’ name came up in trade chatter last year as he was missing time with the ankle injury and he also served a one-game suspension for punching teammate C.J. Gardner-Johnson during practice. There hasn’t been much talk about a potential trade recently, but moving on may be in the cards if Thomas and the Saints continue to have issues with one another.