New Orleans Saints All Pro wide receiver Michael Thomas will be ending his holdout on Wednesday, after the team made him the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history.
Thomas, 26, was set to make $1.148 million this season in the final year of his rookie contract but now he'll be averaging $20 million annually as a result of the five-year, $100 million extension, which includes $61M in guarantees. According to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, Thomas will also become the first non-QB offensive player to sign a nine-figure deal.
Last season, Thomas caught 125 passes for 1,405 yards and nine touchdowns, while boasting an 85% catch rate (125 catches on 147 targets) which ranked first in the league, according to NFL.com. He has eclipsed 90 receptions and 1,100 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons since being selected in the second round out of Ohio State in the 2016 NFL Draft.
The Saints will kick off the 2019 NFL season at home against the Houston Texans in the first game of ESPN's Monday Night double-header on September 9.