The connection between an NFL player and their position coach might be one of the most underrated bonds you’ll see in the league. Sure, the quarterback-head coach mind meld is valued highly; but for most players, their interactions with individual position coaches defines most of their training.
That’s been the case for New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas and his coach, Curtis Johnson. Johnson was a fixture of Sean Payton’s early Saints coaching staff, and returned after a few years at Tulane and a brief stop with the Chicago Bears.
While there isn’t much about the Saints playbook Johnson has left to teach Thomas, the pair still talk often about technique and areas of the superstar’s game that could improve. Johnson spoke about their bond during his Thursday media availability session.
“You don’t have to do much you just draw the plays up. He’ll get it figured out. But in our meetings he’s, we’re very, I would say ‘closer than close’ right now. He comes over to my house. Matter of fact, he’s closer to my wife than he is with me, so I hope nothing’s going on there,” Johnson laughed.
While there isn’t much more Thomas can add to his encyclopedic knowledge of the Saints offense, it’s great to see that he’s still putting in the work to find ways to get better. And it’s something Johnson values in him, noting that he rarely has to nudge Thomas into staying focused in practice or keeping his energy level up. He’s a pro’s pro.
That relentless drive has helped Thomas to break NFL records and win the league’s Offensive Player of the Year award. It’s put him on top of the AP All-Pro list. With Johnson on hand to fine-tune his game, it’s possible Thomas still hasn’t hit his ceiling.
