Back to the New Orleans Saints Newsfeed

Michael Thomas' uncle Keyshawn called Payton to share secret, background on nephew's talent

There is no secret about how good Michael Thomas has been for the New Orleans Saints.

He holds the record for most catches by a wideout through his first two NFL seasons, and his eight catches for 131 yards Sunday helped the Saints in a 31-26 wild-card win against the Carolina Panthers.

But go back nearly two years, Thomas did not have the kind of NFL Draft buzz you might expect for a player who has been so productive.

Former NFL receiver Keyshawn Johnson happens to be Thomas' uncle, and Johnson shared a story Tuesday on the Golic and Wingo ESPN radio show about how he turned Saints coach Sean Payton into a fan of his nephew.