You remember that 2014 season. It was pure chaos in Columbus. One quarterback goes down, then another, and somehow the Buckeyes are still rolling toward a title. In the middle of all that noise was Michael Thomas. Honestly, it’s easy to forget how quiet his start was. He barely touched the field in 2012. Then he redshirted in 2013. People were basically asking, "Is this guy ever going to play?"
Then 2014 happened.
The Breakout Year Nobody Saw Coming
Most guys with NFL bloodlines—his uncle is Keyshawn Johnson, after all—come in with a massive ego. Not Mike. He was a redshirt sophomore who had to fight just to get into the rotation. But when J.T. Barrett needed a safety valve, Thomas was always there. He wasn’t the fastest guy on the track. He ran a 4.57 at the combine later on, which isn't exactly "burn the secondary" speed. But his hands? Like glue.
He led the team that year with 54 catches. That sounds small by today’s pass-heavy standards, but in an Urban Meyer offense that loved to run the ball down your throat, those catches were everything.
Take the Alabama game in the Sugar Bowl. Everyone talks about Ezekiel Elliott's 85-yard run, and rightfully so. But Michael Thomas was out there making the "grown man" catches that kept drives alive. He caught a huge touchdown right before halftime that changed the entire vibe of the game. Without that play, maybe Oregon is the one holding the trophy at the end of the year.
Why the Ohio State Michael Thomas Stats Don't Tell the Whole Story
If you just look at the box scores, you might think he was just another solid college receiver. 799 yards in 2014. 781 yards in 2015. 18 touchdowns over two years. Good? Yeah. Legendary? On paper, maybe not.
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But you've got to look at who else was on those teams. You had Zeke in the backfield. You had Braxton Miller doing spin moves. You had Curtis Samuel and Jalin Marshall. There was only one football. Thomas was the guy who did the dirty work. He ran the crispest slants in the Big Ten. He blocked like a tight end when Zeke needed a lane.
The NFL scouts saw it, though. They didn't care about the 1,000-yard seasons that weren't there. They saw a 6-foot-3 frame and a guy who literally never dropped the ball. When the New Orleans Saints took him in the second round of the 2016 draft, a lot of people thought he was a "reach."
They were wrong.
From Columbus to NFL Offensive Player of the Year
It's wild to think about now, but Thomas actually became more productive in the pros than he was in college. He set the NFL record for most receptions in a single season with 149. Think about that for a second. That's nearly ten catches every single week for four months straight.
He took that same "CantGuardMike" attitude he developed at Ohio State and turned it into a Hall of Fame trajectory. He was the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2019. He was a First-team All-Pro twice. He was, for a three-year stretch, the best wide receiver on the planet.
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Injuries eventually slowed him down. That's the brutal part of the game. After 2020, his body just didn't cooperate. By the time 2024 and 2025 rolled around, the conversation shifted from "how many records will he break?" to "will he ever play a full season again?" As of early 2026, he’s a free agent, and the league is a lot less interesting without him on the field.
What Made Him Different?
He was obsessed. That’s the only word for it.
Urban Meyer used to talk about how Michael Thomas would practice like his life depended on it. He wasn't the guy joking around in the back of the line. He was the guy at the front, demanding another rep. He brought a professional mindset to the locker room before he even had a paycheck.
- He understood leverage better than anyone.
- His catch radius was basically "anything in the same zip code."
- He played with a chip on his shoulder because he felt overlooked as a recruit.
The Lasting Legacy at Ohio State
When you look at the current crop of Buckeyes receivers—the guys like Marvin Harrison Jr. or Emeka Egbuka—they all owe a little something to Mike. He was the bridge. He proved that Ohio State wasn't just a "three yards and a cloud of dust" school. He showed that you could come to Columbus, win a ring, and then go dominate the league.
He remains a legend in the 614 because he was a winner. He didn't care about the Heisman hype. He didn't complain about targets. He just caught everything thrown his way and won a National Championship.
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If you're looking to understand the modern Ohio State wide receiver room, you have to start with Mike. He set the standard for route running and work ethic that Brian Hartline still uses as a blueprint today.
To really appreciate what he did, go back and watch the 2014 Michigan State game. That 79-yard touchdown from J.T. Barrett? That was the moment. The stutter-step, the separation, the finish. Pure Michael Thomas.
How to Follow the Next Generation
If you want to see who’s carrying the torch Mike lit, keep an eye on the current Buckeyes in the NFL draft cycle. Look for the guys who prioritize the slant and the comeback route over the flashy deep ball. That’s where the real money is made. You can also track his current status as a free agent; even if he doesn't suit up again, his film is basically a textbook for every young receiver in the country.
The best way to honor that 2014 run is to remember the guys who made it happen when the odds were stacked against them. Mike was at the top of that list.
Check out the Ohio State athletic archives for a deeper look at those 2014 highlights, or follow the "CantGuardMike" social feeds to see if he’s got one more comeback left in the tank for the 2026 season.