Throughout Bill Belichick's tenure with the Patriots, there were arguably more draft busts than superstars, and that is one of the dark spots in the head coach's legacy. It was a particularly big problem in the latter years of his tenure, with two names dominating the bust conversation more than anyone else: wide receivers N'Keal Harry and Tyquan Thornton.
Despite joining a team led by Tom Brady, Harry was doomed from the start: he was the final pick of the first round in 2019 and came with all the pressure that status brings. He couldn't live up to it, which became clear immediately, and fans could never forgive Belichick for passing on players like A.J. Brown and Deebo Samuel in favor of Harry.
He's now out of the league after spending time with multiple teams and even switching things up at tight end. But Thornton has had somewhat of a career resurgence since the Patriots waived him in 2024, becoming an intriguing part of the Chiefs' offense under Patrick Mahomes.
Although he hasn't entirely proven the bust label wrong, he has earned the trust of one of the best quarterbacks in the league and was projected to have an increased role this fall, much like he did in 2025.
But that reality might not come to fruition now after seeing the unfortunate news that Thornton left practice on Tuesday after suffering an injury.
Tyquan Thornton's comeback bid takes a major hit after an injury at practice
According to reports, Thornton injured himself at practice and left the field in a cart, which is never a good sign. It's the latest hurdle that the receiver has to face in his career, and because he hasn't become an integral part of the Chiefs' offense just yet, this might be one that he can't come back from.
We don't know the severity of his injury just yet, but any significant time away from practice is going to be far more impactful for someone in Thornton's shoes than any starter, and that's the last thing he needs right now.
The fact that the Chiefs have kept him on the roster for the last two years clearly shows they believe in his potential and want to see more. On top of that, he's had big moments in games when Mahomes has clearly believed he could make a play, and more often than not, Thornton has delivered.
The problem is that those opportunities are few and far between, so he's still having to earn more based on his performance at practice. Being away for any extended period of time jeopardizes that significantly, making this injury even more devastating.
Because he's been with the team for the past two years, there's a good chance they'll give him the time he needs, and it won't necessarily mean being pushed to the back burner.
At the same time, however, the Chiefs are hoping to make a comeback bid of their own, after missing the playoffs for the first time since Mahomes became the quarterback, and he's about to make his return from an ACL injury that ended his 2025 season early.
If Thornton has to miss any time at the start of the season, that opens the door for another receiver to make the kind of impact on the offense that would have otherwise been ignored in favor of himself, and that would be disastrous.
No matter what, he has to hope he won't be away from the team for too long, or we might be seeing Thornton riding the bench in Kansas City the way he did in New England.
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