FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - David Thomas thought he had a secure, stable future when he woke up Sept. 5. He had been with the Patriots since 2006, and saw himself staying there for years. Months earlier, his wife had given birth to their second son, a brother for their 2-year-old.
That day, the news struck Thomas like a sucker punch. He learned the Patriots had traded him to the Saints. The next morning, he was on a flight bound for New Orleans, leaving his wife and children home in New England.
In the whirlwind that followed, Thomas never envisioned his year would end here, preparing for Super Bowl XLIV against the Indianapolis Colts. After a difficult transition, Thomas became a productive and versatile piece of the Saints’ prolific offense. Tomorrow, his trying season will end on a far sweeter note than it began.
“It’s definitely been a challenging year - the trade, the move, everything my family had to go through,’’ Thomas said. “But it’s been a lot of fun. I’m really excited to be here.’’
During his time in Patriots training camp, Thomas was competing with Ben Watson, Chris Baker, and Michael Matthews. He had seemingly secured a roster spot as the season neared.
Meanwhile, in Saints training camp, reliable reserve tight end Billy Miller tore his right Achilles’ tendon. Right away, Saints coach Sean Payton searched the league for a team they could match up with for a trade.
“We knew New England had a lot of depth at tight end,’’ Payton said. “We had made trades with them before. It was just a matter of trying to find out maybe if any of those players would be available. Fortunately, we were able to obtain David.’’
The Saints acquired Thomas for a seventh-round pick in 2011. Thomas found out he had been traded on a Saturday. He flew to New Orleans the next day, and he played in his first Saints game eight days later. He had to learn a new and complex offense while also arranging his family’s move. A moving company shipped his life halfway across the country while he tied loose ends.
As he practiced and unpacked, Thomas adjusted to his new city and team without his wife. For a month, he did not see his family.
“It’s just hard every day to be going home and not getting to see your wife and kids,’’ Thomas said. “They weren’t down here yet. That was really hard on me.’’
Still, as he learned the offense, Thomas began to find his niche. The Saints used him in some situations as a fullback, something he rarely did with the Patriots. He spelled Jeremy Shockey and gave the Saints another weapon. The price for Thomas seemed low to his new teammates.
