Say hello to your 2019 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
Many tried but none came close to Michael Thomas' production in 2019 and, for that, the New Orleans Saints' all-world receiver was named OPOY Saturday night at NFL Honors for the first time in his career.
Thomas edged Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson 19 votes to 17 in balloting. Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey was third with 12, followed by quarterbacks Russell Wilson of Seattle and Patrick Mahomes of Kansas City with one each.
Thomas truly was in a league of his own this season, breaking Indianapolis Colts legend Marvin Harrison's single-season reception record (143 in 2002) with 149 catches for a league- and career-best 1,725 yards receiving. He was also named to the Pro Bowl for the third straight season and landed his second consecutive first-team All-Pro selection.
A back-to-back receptions leader blessed with suction cups for hands, Thomas leveled up across the board with career highs in yards (107.8) and receptions (9.3) per game to go along with 11.6 yards per catch and a third season of at least nine touchdowns. His four-year cumulative production -- 470 receptions, 5,512 yards -- are the most by a player in his first four seasons all-time.
Thomas' 6-foot-3, 203-pound frame, and his ability to outwork whoever has the displeasure of matching up with him, renders every move he makes into a work of art that passes the eye test two times over. But that doesn't mean the analytics should be left out of the conversation.
According to Next Gen Stats, Thomas logged an absurd 80.5 catch percentage, the highest among all receivers by a wide margin, and accounted for a 41.3 percent share of the Saints' total yards through the air, which ranks second-highest in the NFL. Considering that Thomas finished with a whopping 185 targets, it makes you wonder what scheme, if any, can be cooked up to guard the player most, including the man himself, have deemed "unguardable."
After signing a five-year, $100 million contract extension last July, Thomas went out and balled out, proving it was his turf and opposing defenders were just making a living on it. His team will have some big questions to tackle this offseason, but Thomas' greatness will obviously not be one of them. Look out for even more "Thomas vs. Everybody" posters being printed in 2020 and beyond.
