Juan Thornhill injury update: Chiefs safety returns to practice

Juan Thornhill has taken the next step in his return to the field.

While he’s still not been given the all-clear, Kansas City Chiefs safety Juan Thornhill did take an important step forward in his return from a torn ACL suffered last December. On Wednesday, he joined the team’s padded practice at Arrowhead for at least some limited activities.

Thornhill first tore his ACL in the Chiefs final regular season game against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 17. It was a frustrating end point to what was a fantastic rookie season, one in which he cemented himself as a starter from the outset. By year’s end, Thornhill resembled a future Pro Bowler next to Tyrann Mathieu.

Since his ACL tear, Thornhill has reportedly been on schedule in his rehab for the Chiefs, with reports saying he will be ready for the season-opener, which is now only weeks away. The Chiefs host the Houston Texans on September 10, but it’s hard to say whether or not Thornhill will be ready at that point just yet.

For now, Thornhill is off of the PUP list that he began the preseason on and he’s able to be with his teammates in walkthroughs.

In the meantime, the Chiefs have added a couple new safeties to the mix in recent weeks with the signing of defensive backs Adrian Colbert (Miami Dolphins) and Tedric Thompson (Seattle Seahawks). It’s unknown whether these are tied with Thornhill’s health or not, but the ties are interesting.

Last season, Thornhill had 58 total tackles, 5 passes defended, and 3 interceptions in 16 starts for the Chiefs. The Virginia product was the team’s second round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.