Every injury is bad news. When Tyquan Thornton went down with a dislocated ankle during the Kansas City Chiefs' victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 4, no one in Allegiant Stadium or watching at home had to be told how tragic the loss was for both the player and his team. But listening to the latest episode of New Heights added further dimension to just how unfortunate it was for Thornton to be carted off the field.
For those who are unaware, New Heights is an uber-popular podcast hosted by Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and his brother Jason Kelce, formerly a dominant center for the Philadelphia Eagles. On the latest episode, the Kelces broke down the Chiefs' fourth win of the season and got into the effects of Thornton's injury.
Kelce's appreciation of what Thornton meant to the offense
Travis has been a teammate of Thornton for nearly two years, since the former New England Patriots receiver arrived as a practice squad signing in November 2024. Kelce's fondness for Thornton as a teammate came through in spades in the discussion.
"Everybody loves Tyquan," said Travis. "The guy just shows up every single day with his construction hat on ready to go to f--kin' work, ready to put in the time and the effort that's needed to have the success that he's having. And he's finally starting to... you know, we're 4-0, he's playing unbelievably. 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 sucks."
Thornton's injury was tough to stomach during the broadcast, but some potentially good news emerged after the game. The recovery for Thornton was estimated at 12 to 16 weeks, which means it's possible that he reconnects with Mahomes and company by season's end—or maybe in time for a postseason run.
"Obviously, positive news with the ankle and hopes that if we are in the playoffs, he's healthy enough to get back out there," said Travis. "But at the same time, you just hate to see it happen to such a good guy."
The loss of real momentum for Thornton
Even Jason Kelce, who didn't play with Thornton during his celebrated 13-year career, was very aware of what Thornton's loss will mean for the Chiefs. He brought up a great point about the momentum that Thornton had built between 2025 and 2026 as even more reason to grieve the injury.
"It's frustrating because he ended the year last year kind of on a high note, even though the season didn't go well. He was really clearly starting to build a lot of chemistry with Patrick, especially on these down-the-field, explosive plays. He had a great start to the season. You hate to see a guy go down like this when he's really starting to come on and build that chemistry with the quarterback and the team."
Jason Kelce is right, although the timeline is a little fuzzy. Thornton was electric for the Chiefs in limited doses in a six-win campaign in '25. He averaged nearly 12 yards per target and over 23 yards per reception, proving himself to be a dependable vertical threat. Unfortunately, the Chiefs rarely made room for him, with 2 targets or less in 8 of the team's games. He had zero catches in five of them. Still, he was only 150 yards behind the top WR on the team with 438 yards on 19 catches.
During the offseason, the Chiefs re-signed Thornton to a two-year deal and folded him into a larger share of the offensive game plan. Through four games, Thornton leads the team with 219 yards on 11 catches, including a 111-yard, 2-touchdown effort in Week 4. Just as he was coming into his own, he was lost for several months.
No obvious candidate to replace Thornton
Without Thornton, the Chiefs are going to have to figure out how to keep defenses respecting the deep ball. Tyreek Hill has been mentioned as a candidate, but there are multiple variables there as he returns from a serious injury himself. Beyond that, there's not an in-house candidate who can stretch the field in the same way.
If Thornton's recovery goes well, fans won't be the only ones cheering his return. Kelce's comments make it clear that the Chiefs have a deep appreciation for what he brings to the table and they're keen to see him back again as soon as possible.
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