Saints’ Olave suffers concussion; Carr responds to Thomas’ rant

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — New Orleans Saints vast receiver Chris Olave flew residence with the workforce on Sunday after being evaluated at an area hospital following his second concussion of the season.

Olave was positioned into the league’s concussion protocol for the fourth time in his NFL profession after taking a success to the top halfway by the primary quarter of the Saints’ 23-22 loss to the Carolina Panthers.

“Thank God Preciate all of the love & prayers ima be aight,” Olave wrote on his X account after the sport.

Olave was hit within the head and neck by Panthers security Xavier Woods whereas making an attempt to catch a excessive move from quarterback Derek Carr throughout the center of the sphere. Woods was flagged for pointless roughness for the play, his ninth such penalty since getting into the NFL in 2017, which is probably the most within the league throughout that span.

Olave didn’t rise up from the bottom after the move and was ultimately strapped to a backboard, placed on a cart and pushed off the sphere earlier than he was taken to the hospital. Gamers from each groups gathered round Olave and the medical employees as they labored on him, and he gave some excessive fives to his teammates earlier than he was pushed off.

Former Saints vast receiver Michael Thomas appeared responsible Carr for Olave’s concussion in posts to his X account.

“Dude. Scary and panic and simply throw the ball,” Thomas wrote amongst a collection of tweets about Carr, “Get him the f out of right here he’s so ass.”

Thomas, who was launched by the Saints in March after eight seasons, has taken pictures at Carr on social media a number of instances this 12 months. He wrote in January that he was “arrange by a foul ball,” referring to a season-ending harm that occurred after he caught a move by Carr in November 2023.

Thomas additionally stated on the time that the Saints weren’t making an attempt to get him the ball. Carr addressed Thomas’ tweets in an interview in February and stated that he wished Thomas would have referred to as him as a substitute. Carr stated on the time that he thought Thomas was pissed off as a result of Olave was getting the vast majority of the first-team reps in apply final season.

“Dude tried to lie and say I used to be jealous of them making Chris WR1 entire time he cannot even get him an honest ball. He want his ass whooped,” Thomas wrote Sunday.

Carr, following the loss to the Panthers, stated “he has love” for Thomas however “did not actually care” for his feedback.

“I’ve had so many teammates over time and he is just like the one dude that did not get together with me. And I do not know what I did to him. I do not know why he feels that method. I am sorry for no matter he is coping with to make really feel him like he is received to try this,” Carr stated. “I do not know. However he is by no means referred to as me throughout any of this. My telephone quantity has by no means modified. I’ve actually referred to as him on totally different events. Simply to attempt. And generally you possibly can attempt as exhausting as you need and it simply does not work out. And that is OK, so I do not know why he feels any sort of method. I did not see it. I will not see it. As a result of I at all times ignore the whole lot, good and unhealthy. I attempt to ignore the whole lot. It is unlucky. Particularly coming from a participant like that. However I want him the very best. I hope he will get on a workforce and does what he desires to do and loves it.”

Carr added: “It is simply one thing I might by no means do to a teammate. As a result of it was single excessive, the ball went to the place we talked about it going and Chris received hit within the head sadly. That occurs in our sport, and I might by no means do it on function. I did not throw him into a foul look. … With regards to the soccer facet of it, I actually do not have a solution for it. However on the subject of the individual a part of it, I simply hope he will get what he is on the lookout for.”

Carr stated he feels a pit in his abdomen every time one among his receivers will get harm however conceded that Thomas can blame him if he desires.

“[If] what he is on the lookout for is to place blame on me that I received Chris Olave harm, he can put blame on me,” Carr stated. “It isn’t going to alter my day. I’ve a pit in my abdomen any time one among my teammates goes down as a result of I really like them that a lot. Regardless of if I like them or not. And I occur to like Chris Olave. We’ve got an excellent relationship, so any time that occurs I really feel sick to my abdomen and I hate — hate, and I do not use that phrase rather a lot — however I hate moments like that.

“So, to be clear about that half, I hate it, it taking place. It makes me sick anytime that occurs, whether or not they do not rise up or they do rise up. I do not like that. You attempt your finest to by no means put somebody in that state of affairs. And over the course of my profession, it hasn’t occurred that many instances. … I am sorry that I needed to even to reply these questions. I want we may have made it higher. I want it will have by no means occurred. I want I may have made Mike happier. However it’s exhausting to do.”

Carr stated he checked on Olave within the locker room after the sport “to make it possible for he was good.”

Thomas’ publish caught the eye of Olave’s brother Josh, who reposted Thomas’ publish denying he was jealous of Olave with a “100” emoji.

Josh Olave additionally responded to a query on Twitter about whether or not he and his brother wanted to have a “is it value it?” discuss.

“Ain’t value it in Nola, I will let you know that,” Josh Olave responded.

Olave was recognized with a concussion in his rookie season in 2022 after taking a success whereas catching a move from then-quarterback Andy Dalton in Week 5. He additionally sustained a concussion on a move try from Carr in Week 12 final 12 months and after catching a move from Spencer Rattler in opposition to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier this season.

Olave modified his helmet to a brand new mannequin after lacking a sport due to his most up-to-date concussion. Nonetheless, he took a tough hit in opposition to the Los Angeles Chargers final week, was evaluated within the medical tent and returned to the sport.