(Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – SEPTEMBER 14: Tyquan Thornton #80 of the Kansas City Chiefs catches a 49 yard touchdown catch against Quinyon Mitchell #27 of the Philadelphia Eagles during the fourth quarter in the game at Arrowhead Stadium on September 14, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
When the Patriots finally released former second-round pick Tyquan Thornton last November, after having failed to find a partner on a trade, the headline on the local CBS site read, “Patriots release receiver Tyquan Thornton, one of Bill Belichick’s biggest draft busts.” NBC Sports Boston noted, “Thornton is one of several busts from New England’s 2022 draft class.”
And USA Today’s Patriots fan site wrote, “It was time to chalk him up as a bust and move on.”
Thornton was let go after three injury-marred and unproductive seasons, during which he tallied just 39 catches and 385 yards in 28 games. He certainly was a consensus draft bust in New England, made worse because the next two players picked were Eagles star lineman Cam Jurgens and now-Cowboys star George Pickens, who is both talented but flighty.
Now, though, Thornton is having a career renaissance following his signing with the Chiefs practice squad last year. He has been an effective long-ball threat, catching nine passes in three weeks with two touchdowns and 171 yards.
Tyquan Thornton: Bad Timing With Patriots
And Thornton is happy to let folks in New England know about it, too.
He was asked this week about his rough going with the Patriots started off my noting that the timing just wasn’t right for him. He was injured frequently, and even when healthy, the Patriots did not have quarterbacks willing to take advantage of his speed.
“Sometimes it’s just timing. It’s always God’s time,” he said. “When I was there in New England, you know, great time over there, I loved that staff over there, the players there I built a good bond with them guys. I just been making plays. I was always able to do it in practice but was never able to just put it on the film in the game. Just staying true to myself and continuing to do the same thing.”
Patriots Media Were Tough
But Thornton also broke a three-year social media silence after he caught a deep pass from Patrick Mahomes at the 1-yard line to help set up Kansas City’s win over the Giants. “Thank you for all the hate & doubt!” Thornton posted in response to a local Boston fan site.
“That moment was pretty huge for me,” Thornton said.
“I know my time during New England, while I was there, the media used to try to beat up on me a little bit bad. So I remember just not having the best game of my career, being a young player, going to Twitter and seeing the media just beating you up, beating you up, beating you up. So, I used to get down on myself just a little bit.
Tyquan Thornton Kept ‘Head High’
It helps, of course, to have Mahomes throwing him the ball. But Thornton has looked much more the part of a capable deep-threat receiver–he’s filling in for the speedy Xavier Worthy– this season than he even did in New England.
He kept the faith, he said: “Looking myself in the mirror, just knowing who I truly am, you know what I’m saying? Keeping my head high, just keep pounding at the rock, just keep working. Now, it’s starting to show a little bit. So, I just keep on getting better and just keep on improving.”
And he has some words of wisdom for players in his situation.
“If you’re a young player, I’ll give you advice—don’t look at Twitter at all,” Thornton said.
Sean Deveney is a veteran sports reporter covering the NBA, NFL and MLB for Heavy.com. He has written for Heavy since 2019 and has more than two decades of experience covering the NBA, including 17 years as the lead NBA reporter for the Sporting News. Deveney is the author of 7 nonfiction books, including “Fun City,” “Before Wrigley became Wrigley,” and “Facing Michael Jordan.” More about Sean Deveney
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