New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas paid tribute to Joe Horn with a touchdown celebration on Sunday, and it sounds like it took some serious planning to pull off.
After he caught a 72-yard touchdown pass to give the Saints a 44-35 lead over the Los Angeles Rams late in the fourth quarter, Thomas lifted up the pad protecting the goal post and pulled out a cell phone. He then pretended to make a call just like Horn did when he was a receiver for the Saints 15 years ago.
Michael Thomas broke out the Joe Horn-inspired TD celebration pic.twitter.com/nx7a7K3hbO
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 5, 2018
Thomas later told reporters that he put a lot of effort into the celebration, even tracking down an old school flip phone so it would be as close to Horn’s as possible. He also hid a phone under each goal post pad to make sure he could do his thing no matter which side of the field he scored on.
Michael Thomas decided this morning to do the cell phones celebration. Said phones were in both goal post paddings. Didn't want to say how early him or someone had to arrive to the Dome to plant the phones. Said he went to a "hole-in-the-wall liquor store" to find flip phones.
— Larry Holder (@LarryHolder) November 5, 2018
Michael Thomas: "I had my plot setup. I had it set up to where I was anticipating to get in the end zone."
— Josh Katzenstein (@jkatzenstein) November 5, 2018
As you might expect, Horn loved the tribute and said he got emotional over it.
Ex-Saints WR Joe Horn said he saw Michael Thomas’ honorary TD celebration while working out in Tupelo, Miss. “When I saw him bring out that cellphone it brought a tear to my eye,” Horn said. “For him to pay homage to me in that way, let me know what kind of man Michael Thomas is"
— Jeff Duncan (@JeffDuncan_) November 5, 2018
Thomas’ touchdown celebration may not have been the best one we saw in Week 9, but it was about as good as it gets in New Orleans.
