Sep 20, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) walks off the field after an overtime win against the Indianapolis Colts at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
Travis Kelce Devastated as Chiefs WR Suffers Horrific Injury After Earning 'Patrick Mahomes' Trust' 1
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyquan Thornton dislocated his left ankle in Sunday’s 30-27 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 4. The setback ended the best game of his career and will keep him out for a large part of the season.
Tight end Travis Kelce spoke about the injury recently, calling it heartbreaking because Thornton was just starting to earn everyone’s trust in the franchise — including quarterback Patrick Mahomes — as Kansas City improved to 4-0.
Travis Kelce reacts as Tyquan Thornton faces long recovery
Thornton hurt his ankle late in the fourth quarter on a huge play. The Chiefs were losing 19-17 on a third down when Patrick Mahomes threw him a long 55-yard pass. Thornton caught it near the goal line, but Las Vegas safety Treydan Stukes tackled him from behind.
When they fell, Thornton’s foot got trapped under the defender’s body, twisting his ankle badly. He left the field on a cart and exited the stadium on crutches.
Oct 4, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA;
Oct 4, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyquan Thornton (2) is helped onto a cart with an apparent injury against the Las Vegas Raiders during the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Thornton successfully underwent surgery early this week to repair his dislocated ankle and torn ligaments. The Chiefs are officially operating under a 12-to-16-week recovery timeline. While the long layoff keeps him out for the regular season, team insiders note there is still a real chance he could return for a deep playoff run in January.
“Everybody f loves Tyquan,” Travis Kelce said on the recent episode of New Heights podcast while addressing the injury. “The guy just shows up every single day, with his construction hat on, ready to go to work and ready to put in the time and the effort that’s needed to have the success that he’s having.”
Kelce highlighted that the Chiefs are off to a perfect 4-0 start thanks to Thornton playing at an unbelievable level, adding, “He’s got Pat Mahomes’ trust, he’s got the coaches’ trust, and then to have something like this happen on such a big play in the game, it s–ks, man. It s–ks.”
“But at the same time, man, you just hate to see it happen to such a good guy, man,” Kelce concluded, noting there is still positive news regarding the ankle. “In hopes that if we are in the playoffs, and he’s healthy enough, he can get back out there.”
Thornton, 26, is in his fifth NFL season. Against Las Vegas, he caught five of eight targets for a career-high 111 yards and two touchdowns. It was his first 100-yard game and his first with multiple scores.
Mahomes addressed the injury after the game, calling it a huge play for the offense but a tough blow for the team. The quarterback noted how hard it is to see a teammate go down, especially since he went through his own injury rehab last year.
“It sucks that he hurt his ankle on that play, but it was a big play for us,” Pat said. “It helped us go get the win. It’s tough because those guys put in so much work. I was in that spot last year. One play can change your season. You hope for the best, but at the same time you want to show him support… He’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever had.”
Thornton finished the first four games with 11 receptions for 219 yards and two touchdowns on 15 targets. His 19.9 yards per catch ranks fourth in the NFL right now. Last season, he finished with 19 receptions for 438 yards and three scores.
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