Chiefs WR Tyquan Thornton
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It's early, but WR Tyquan Thornton is standing out with the Chiefs.
For teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, reserve/futures contracts are relative shots in the dark. An organization that carries the weight of championship expectations isn’t typically going to bank on unproven players to contribute.
There’s one outlier emerging in 2025, though. Wide receiver Tyquan Thornton, who joined Kansas City in November of 2024 but re-signed in February, is making his presence felt.
It’s an unlikely outcome from an optics standpoint, but not if you ask head coach Andy Reid.
Andy Reid Explains How Tyquan Thornton Is Making an Impact on Chiefs
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Reid explained why the Thornton experiment is working. It dates back to general manager Brett Veach’s work on him prior to the 2022 NFL Draft, as well as some serious praise from former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.
“Yeah, so Brett liked him,” Reid said. “And then I mentioned before, I think, that Bill Belichick called me and talked to me about him [and] thought he was a good football player. Brett was bringing him in, and Bill kind of said, ‘Hey, this guy has really got great potential.'”
It’s easy to forget that Thornton is still just 25 years old. The former Baylor standout built a pre-draft reputation for being a lengthy speed threat with the ability to stretch opposing defenses. It’s what got him picked by New England just four spots ahead of Skyy Moore, another second-rounder labeled a “bust.”
Sometimes, a change of scenery can benefit a player. It hasn’t yet with Moore, but the early returns for Thornton are promising. He had 87 receiving yards during the preseason, after all, and made an impact in Week 1 of the regular season. Against the Los Angeles Chargers, Thornton hauled in a pair of passes for 41 yards. His 38-yarder in the second quarter helped push the team to field goal range.
Reid believes Thornton’s profile is what makes him a favorite of quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
“Well, he’s fast,” Reid said. “And he’s a big target. He runs good routes.”
Kansas City’s Wideout Depth Will Be Tested in Week 2
Just a month ago, it wasn’t a sure thing that Thornton would even make the 53-man roster. If he did, many expected him to be an end-of-roster piece who wouldn’t see the field much. Given his lack of progression in New England and the names ahead of him in Kansas City, that made sense. Weird and/or unfortunate things happen in the NFL, though, and all it takes is one or two to present an opportunity.
Thornton is a near-perfect representation of that. Prior to the start of the season, wideout Rashee Rice accepted a suspension for six games. Just a few plays into Week 1’s outing in Brazil, Xavier Worthy collided with tight end Travis Kelce and dislocated his shoulder. Fourth-round rookie Jalen Royals is still out of the lineup due to knee tendonitis. The Chiefs suddenly need all hands on deck at receiver.
Enter Thornton. He, as well as veterans Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster, are some of Mahomes’ top targets. Kelce adds high-level talent to the picture. The win-loss result was obviously poor in Week 1, but Kansas City scored on its last five possessions. The hope is Week 2 and beyond can see similar progress made.
Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles serves as a big-time test for Thornton and company. It doesn’t get much more daunting than a regular-season rematch of Super Bowl LIX.