The answer? Maybe not just the Fantasia music video, but certainly it played a big part.
↵Oh, sorry, I forgot to mention the video that Devin Thomas recorded with rapper Fantasia this summer. Here it is.
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↵Anyway, in an exclusive interview with the web site Carolina Growl, Thomas says that he thinks that music video -- or, more generally, his offseason activities -- was what caused Mike Shanahan to cut him. A couple people have called BS (well, not that strong) on Thomas' statements, including Pro Football Talk (in a sneering tone) and National Football Post's Matt Bowen (in a respected tone). Their argument is that Thomas simply didn't produce, and that's what caused him to be cut.
↵Now, I'm the same guy who postulated that the issue was Thomas is that he just wasn't that good. Still, I find it hard to believe that the music video didn't make a difference. I mean, consider what Mike Shanahan himself said after Thomas got cut.
↵↵↵↵↵"I sat down and talked to Devin many times and told him what he needed to do to be a pro football player," Shanahan said, "both on and off of the football field. And if he does do that, both on and off of the football field, he'll have a chance to play in the National Football League. But until he does that -- he's got the talent. He sure does. But he's going to have to commit to being a pro."
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Maybe it's a misdirection play, but it sure sounds like he's directly calling out his off-field activities.