Tyquan Thornton’s rise from practice squad in November to a key offensive weapon for the Kansas City Chiefs has been nothing short of remarkable.

During the Chiefs’ Week 3 clash with the New York Giants, Thornton posted five receptions on nine targets for 71 yards and a touchdown, helping the team secure the season’s first win. 22-9.

With Xavier Worthy sidelined due to a shoulder injury, Thornton’s role expanded, and he even had a second touchdown taken off the board after replay review determined he was down before reaching the goal line.

One catch in particular highlighted Thornton’s impact: a 33-yard reception tightly contested by Giants cornerback Dru Phillips that helped swing momentum in Kansas City’s favor. Thornton reflected on the moment, noting, “Once you see the hand up, it lets you know. You can breathe a little bit,” showing his poise and awareness in high-pressure situations.

His connection with Patrick Mahomes continues to grow, signaling that the Chiefs now have a reliable deep threat in their arsenal.

Thornton also took to X to address critics after the game, turning a key highlight into a statement. Re-sharing a clip of the contested catch, he captioned it: “Thank you for all the hate & doubt!” It was a succinct response to doubters, underscoring both his confidence and the journey from overlooked practice squad player to rising offensive contributor.

Early in the second quarter, the Chiefs built a 6-0 lead with Harrison Butker hitting field goals from 54 and 48 yards.

Kansas City carried a 16–9 advantage into the fourth after Mahomes connected with Thornton for a short touchdown in the second half—the Chiefs’ first TD of the game.

Thornton’s impact extended beyond that score. Including a clutch 21-yard post route on third-and-6 where Mahomes, pressured by Giants DE Dexter Lawrence, had to redirect the throw. He turned a broken play into a critical gain.

As for his crazy 33-yarder grab, NFL Next Gen Stats pegged the catch probability on that play at just 15.7%, highlighting Thornton’s knack for making high difficulty plays.

Thornton reflected on his rise from the practice squad, noting, “When I first got here, coming from New England, seeing these guys practice at a high level, how they do the little things, I was just a guy just trying to be a part of that. Every day was like the Super Bowl for me. It was a blessing.”

His preparation and mindset didn’t go unnoticed, as Mahomes praised his work ethic and playmaking ability. Even with his usual reliable target, Travis Kelce, this signals that Thornton is quickly getting in the good books of the Chiefs’ #15.

Patrick Mahomes praises Tyquan Thornton’s efforts

Patrick Mahomes hasn’t been shy about expressing his admiration for Tyquan Thornton.

Reflecting on his first encounters with Thornton, Mahomes said, “He’d come in and run some of those deeper routes. And I would throw to him a couple times last year, just to see what he had. And you could see that he had juice.”

Those early sessions, both on the practice squad and later in Texas during OTAs, gave Mahomes a glimpse of Thornton’s potential long before Sunday night’s breakout.

Mahomes continued, emphasizing Thornton’s growth and readiness when called upon: “Getting into OTAs, and then into training camp, he was one of those guys that was down there with me working in Texas. So, I knew he was going to be a good football player. But he’s even exceeding my expectations. He’s stepping up whenever the opportunity has been provided for him.”

The quarterback’s praise underscores just how much Thornton has impressed both in practice and on the field in meaningful game moments.

With his combination of preparation, skill, and clutch performance, Thornton is quickly emerging as a reliable weapon in Kansas City’s offense. It will be interesting to see how this will shape the receiver corps in the coming weeks.