Recently, former New Orleans Saints receiver Michael Thomas found himself caught up in legal trouble, with charges of simple battery and criminal mischief hanging over his head. These charges stemmed from an incident that took place in front of Thomas’ residence in Kenner, Louisiana, on November 10, 2023. It was reported that Thomas got into a verbal altercation with a local contractor over parking issues, which escalated to the contractor accusing Thomas of pushing him and throwing a brick at his car windshield.
Pretrial Diversion Program
Rather than facing trial, Thomas has opted to enter a pretrial diversion program. His attorney, Daniel “Becket” Becnel, stated that the charges had been dismissed after a hearing. However, a spokesperson for the city attorney’s office clarified that Thomas must successfully complete the six-month pretrial diversion program to close the case. Despite the allegations made against him, Thomas and his legal team maintain that there was no criminality involved in the incident. Becnel argued that the altercation was a result of a dispute between the contractor and his employees, and that no assault or property damage occurred.
Professional Career
On the professional front, Michael Thomas was a second-round pick by the Saints in 2016 and was released by the team at the start of free agency after playing in 10 games in 2023. Despite facing injuries that limited his playing time over the past few seasons, Thomas has had an impressive career. He was named the 2019 NFL Offensive Player of the Year and holds the single-season receptions record after catching 149 passes in that year. Throughout his NFL career, Thomas has started 72 games, amassed 565 receptions for 6,569 yards, and scored 36 touchdowns.
The legal saga surrounding Michael Thomas serves as a reminder of the challenges that professional athletes can face both on and off the field. While Thomas looks to put this incident behind him and focus on his future, the scrutiny that comes with being a public figure remains. As he strives to move forward from this situation, Thomas will need to demonstrate his commitment to personal growth and accountability in order to rebuild his reputation and continue his career in the NFL.
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