New England Patriots
“When I first got here, coming from New England, seeing these guys practice, man, they practice at a high level.”
Tyquan Thrornton has been one of many top draft picks in recent memory who did not pan out with the Patriots.
The 2022 second-round pick out of Baylor wasn’t able to put it all together during his tenure in Foxborough, reeling in just 39 catches for 385 yards and two touchdowns across parts of three seasons with the Patriots.
But, a change of scenery seems to have worked out for Thornton, who is starting to establish himself as an effective deep-threat target for Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City.
Thornton was a key contributor in Kansas City’s 22-9 win over the Giants on “Sunday Night Football” — recording a team-high 71 receiving yards to go along with a touchdown.
Initially joining Kansas City on their practice squad in November 2024, Thornton has become a key cog in the Chiefs’ offensive gameplan — especially with Rashee Rice in the midst of a six-game suspension and Xavier Worthy sidelined with a dislocated shoulder.
“I knew he was going to be a good football player, but he’s even exceeding my expectations,” Mahomes told reporters after the game. “He’s stepping up whenever the opportunity has been provided for him.”
After struggling to emerge on an underwhelming Patriots offense, Thornton expressed gratitude toward Mahomes for both his public praise and his role and getting him the ball during his tenure with the Chiefs.
“Means a lot,” Thornton said of Mahomes’ praise. “Because when I first got here, coming from New England, seeing these guys practice, man, they practice at a high level. It was so efficient, and how they do the little things, the details, making the routine plays. And I was just a guy coming in, just trying to be a part of that.”
New England could have used a deep threat like Thornton on their roster this season. New England has not had a wideout surpass 40 receiving yards since Week 1 of the 2025 season.
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