Horn talks Michael Thomas doing phone celebration

Former New Orleans Saints wideout Joe Horn did see Michael Thomas recreate his touchdown celebration from 2003, in which he hid a cell phone in the padding of a Superdome goal post and made a "call" after scoring.

In a pair of interviews, he talked about the emotional reaction that he had while watching from a gym in Mississippi the score and celebration in the Saints' win over the Los Angeles Rams (which included an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, just like Horn did back when he did it).

Here's what he had to say on Sunday hours after the celebration, via NOLA.com:

"When I saw him bring out that cellphone, I teared up," Horn said. "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." …

Horn said he has never met the Saints' third-year wideout but called Thomas the best wide receiver in the NFL. He said he went online immediately after the game to buy one of Thomas' No. 13 Saints jerseys.

"I'm his biggest fan now," said Horn, who played for the Saints from 2000 to 2006 and still ranks as the Saints' third all-time-leading receiver with 523 receptions for 7,622 yards and 50 touchdowns. "My family and I owe him."

ESPN's Mike Triplett also caught up with Horn, who quoted Muhammad Ali when asked about how he reacted:

"He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life," Horn said. "That's what I want to say." …

Horn said he texted Thomas and "thanked him for doing what most athletes in his position would never do."

Like Horn, Thomas received some criticism for the celebration, including from Troy Aikman on the FOX broadcast. Michael Strahan, who played in the game in which Horn pulled out the cell phone - arguably the all-time wildest touchdown celebration in NFL history - said (via the Washington Post), "I didn't like it then. I didn't like it now."

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