The New Orleans Saints’ Michael Thomas had a lot of folks jumping for joy when he scored a crucial 4th quarter touchdown to help ruin the Rams’ perfect season. But there were some people who were annoyed with his celebration.
When Thomas reached the end zone, he grabbed a flip phone from underneath the goalpost, then acted like he was placing a call.
YouTube/Instagram/YouTube
The 25-year-old later explained that he was paying homage to retired Saints wide receiver Joe Horn, who did the same thing in 2003.
One person who seemed particularly bothered by Thomas’ celebration was Michael Strahan, who said said it was a form of utter disrespect.
“I didn’t like it then, I didn’t like it now,” said Strahan about Horn’s original move. “But I think guys want to be creative. They want to come up and have something different from what everybody else is doing. That I don’t like, when you do the prop, because there is also a manner of respect when you score a touchdown.”
But according to Horn, Strahan isn’t being honest about why he doesn’t like the flip phone move, and it has to do with his former team the Giants getting beat in that game.
“Michael Strahan got four touchdowns scored on his ass, that’s why he didn’t like it,” said Horn, according to NOLA.com’s Jeff Duncan. “That’s why he didn’t like it. That’s why he’s being negative.”
Horn also spoke to The Times-Picayune about Thomas’ touchdown celebration and said it truly touched him. At the time, the retired 46-year-old was working out in a Mississippi gym.
“When I saw him bring out that cell phone, I teared up,” Horn explained. “That’s something that some kids don’t do, to pay homage to an old soul. For him to do it on a national stage took a lot of courage. I’m humbled.”
Strahan hasn’t responded to Horn yet. You can see Thomas’ celebration below.
Michael Thomas breaks out the Joe Horn cell phone touchdown celebration pic.twitter.com/Y30blsogVs
— Jordan Heck (@JordanHeckFF) November 5, 2018
