Over the last several years, the Patriots have had the unfortunate reality of dealing with more draft busts than hits, particularly when hoping to find their next superstar wide receiver. A big reason for that is Bill Belichick's stubbornness and apparent blindness to the much better talent left on the board when the Patriots are on the clock.
That has resulted in the N'Keal Harry selection over players like A.J. Brown and Deebo Samuel, and just a few years later, the addition of Tyquan Thornton, whom Belichick chose to trade up for, too.
Inevitably, Harry was traded during the 2022 season to the Bears and has since bounced around from team to team. The receiver is not on a team for the 2025 season, but that can't be said about Thornton, who was signed to the Chiefs' 53-man roster this summer.
He looked good at training camp, as he always has, and most Patriots fans believed Kansas City was getting duped just like New England was during Thornton's tenure. That appeared to be the case with his Week 1 performance, but he's changed things around this week in their Super Bowl rematch against the Eagles.
Tyquan Thornton might have just sealed his fate with the Chiefs for another week
After a big time missed catch earlier in the drive, Thornton made an impressive rebound with a 49-yard touchdown to bring the Chiefs closer to retaking the lead.
MAHOMES TD TO TYQUAN THORNTON
— NFL (@NFL) September 14, 2025
One-possession game 👀
PHIvsKC on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/X0GSQVtEj0
Although it helped the Chiefs close the gap, it ultimately didn't matter, as they were unable to shut down the reigning Champions and fell to 0-2 to start the year.
Regardless, it was a good showing for Thornton, who ended the game by recording 2/5 receptions for 59 yards and a touchdown. It's a performance that stands out in a positive way, which hasn't been the case for most of his career.
If he can continue to build upon this, there's a good chance he could rise in the ranks of the depth chart and help get the Chiefs back to where they have been most comfortable: at the top of the AFC.