The Chiefs entered the offseason knowing they had to nail every move after getting pushed around by the Eagles in the Super Bowl. Instead, they shipped offensive lineman Joe Thuney to Chicago for a 2026 fourth-round pick. In hindsight, that single decision explains a lot about why Kansas City is fighting for its season right now, and why the Bears are inducing hope.

Everyone rightfully credits Patrick Mahomes for the Chiefs’ run over the past few years, but losing Thuney was the quiet blow that changed everything. Everywhere he’s been, winning follows him. It’s not overstating it to say he might be the most overlooked dynasty-builder in the league.

The Patriots drafted him in 2016. They went to three AFC title games and won two Super Bowls with him in the lineup. They haven’t won a playoff game since he left. He signed with Kansas City and added two more rings, three more AFC Championships. And now? The Chiefs sit at 6–6 while the Bears, of all teams, are 8–3 and leading the Packers in the NFC North.

Sure, Kansas City made the trade because of money. With a new cap year coming and a long list of contracts to navigate, they chose to move Thuney early and free up room to keep Trey Smith long-term. Smith is a good player. Keeping him wasn’t the mistake. Letting Thuney go was.

On the field, they’ve survived without him. Kingsley Suamataia has held his own replacing him, and he’s not one of the primary reasons this team has stumbled. The real loss was everything Thuney brought beyond the reps. He was the tone-setter. The steady hand. The calm in the chaos. And he was the built-in tutor for every young lineman who came through the room.

“He meant a lot to me. He taught me so much and took me as the player I was coming out of Western Michigan to being able to start in an NFL game. Losing him, he was a great, incredible leader, and I know that guys are stepping up already, trying to fill his role as a leader. I think the more leaders we have in our room, the better,” young left guard Mike Caliendo said.

And then there’s the versatility. Thuney is a guard by trade, but he can slide to center or tackle and keep a game afloat. There aren’t many offensive linemen like that. In a season where every roster is being chewed apart by injuries, having someone who can cover every crack is worth more than whatever that fourth-round pick turns into.

It’s no surprise Mahomes hasn’t looked like himself. He’s been sacked 27 times already, and too often he’s navigating a pocket that feels stitched together. This line hasn’t been awful, but it hasn’t been the trustworthy, adaptable group he had in their championship runs. Thuney’s absence is felt every week.

Now, the Chicago Bears are on a path to a winning season for the first time since 2018, and Joe Thuney’s arrival is a big part of that success.

Joe Thuney integral in Bears’ success

The Bears didn’t hesitate when word got out that Joe Thuney might be available. GM Ryan Poles, a former Chiefs personnel man who knows Thuney’s value as well as anyone, pounced. All it cost Chicago was a 2026 fourth-round pick for one of the most trustworthy linemen in the league. You don’t often get All-Pro pass protection for a mid-round pick, but the Bears did.

And make no mistake: Ben Johnson likely didn’t take this job without assurances the offensive line would be rebuilt in a way that matched the kind of unit he coached in Detroit. Chicago made good on that promise. They grabbed Jonah Jackson. They landed Thuney. And suddenly, the line went from patchwork to one of the most cohesive fronts in the league.

Coming into the Eagles matchup tonight, Thuney hadn’t surrendered a sack, had allowed just one quarterback hit, and only seven hurries, according to Pro Football Focus. He’s been exactly what Chicago hoped for. A calm presence who gives Caleb Williams the clean pockets he didn’t always enjoy as a rookie. Williams has been sacked just 17 times this season.

This is what Thuney does. Heading into this year, he had started 98.6% of his regular-season games since entering the league in 2016. And he’s barely missed a snap for Chicago, logging 742 offensive reps, accounting for 99.46% of the team’s snaps, plus a handful on special teams.

Now look at the before-and-after picture. Last year’s Bears limped to 5–12. This year’s group is punching above its weight, ranking top-five in scoring, top-six in total yardage, and second in rushing. No one had that on their preseason bingo card. A big reason why is that Williams has room to breathe, and the run game has lanes that didn’t exist a year ago.

Thuney has been terrific individually, but it’s more than that. Any quarterback feels safer with him in the huddle. Mahomes certainly did, which might explain a chunk of his struggles this season without Thuney’s reliability on the left side. New England won with him. Kansas City kept winning with him. Now, Chicago looks like one of the NFC’s most balanced teams.

There are only so many coincidences. With Thuney anchoring the line, you can at least understand why fans are wondering whether this is finally the start of something different. After all those losing seasons since 2018, it certainly feels like it. Having a serial winner attracts hope in the building.