Somewhat surprisingly, the Kansas City Chiefs dropped yet another game. They're now 5-5, and winning the AFC West seems like a long shot now after falling to the Denver Broncos on Sunday. While it might be too early to push the panic button, that could happen soon if the Chiefs' offensive issues aren't solved soon.
Even with quarterback Patrick Mahomes playing well, the Chiefs' offense just isn't what it used to be. Head coach Andy Reid's playcalling hasn't been as sharp, and some of the playmakers don't seem to be living up to their expectations. That's why, even if he's not the most prominent player on the team, Tyquan Thornton might deserve more playing time.
Chiefs Need to Give Tyquan Thornton More Snaps
Thornton was quite the productive contributor early in the 2025 season. The former Baylor Bear caught 13 passes for 272 receiving yards and three touchdowns in his first five games of the year, giving Chiefs fans hope that joining the Mahomes-led unit was what Thornton needed to finally realize his potential at the NFL level.
Much to his dismay, though, Thornton's playing time has taken a big dive since Rice and Worthy came back. He went from averaging 39.6 snaps and five targets per game from Weeks 1 to 5 and has since averaged 15.8 snaps and one target in his last five outings. Even if the Chiefs don't need him on every play, they clearly aren't using him to his full capabilities.
One can even argue that Thornton should be getting most of Hollywood Brown's snaps. He's been way more productive on a per-touch basis than the former Arizona Cardinals wideout, and it's not particularly close.
Statistic | Tyquan Thornton | Hollywood Brown |
|---|---|---|
Yards per target | 12.4 | 7.5 |
Yards per reception | 24.8 | 11.3 |
Yards before catch per reception | 21.2 | 8.0 |
Passer rating when targeted | 128.7 | 105.1 |
Additionally, Worthy hasn't been as productive in his second season in the league, posting a 27-281-1 line through eight games. Either because of his injury or a sophomore slump, he just hasn't broken out in the way the fans expected him, and Kansas City isn't making the most of his unmatched speed.
Thornton made a huge catch late in the game to set up a game-tying score for the Chiefs on Sunday, once again rising to the occasion when the team was in big need of a splash play to move the chains. He was also the only player who could chase down Broncos CB Ja'Quan McMillian to prevent a pick-six, showing much more effort than some of his colleagues.
The regular season is in the final stretch. There's no more room for error for this team, especially with a date with the Indianapolis Colts ahead of them. The chiefs need to play whoever is doing a better job and putting in the most effort, even if it's not the most prominent player or the guy making the most money. Right now, that's Tyquan Thornton, and failing to put him in a spot to succeed could limit Kansas City's offense from reaching its potential.