Who is Tyquan Thornton? Chiefs wideout emerges as WR1 after standout performance vs. Giants

Who is Tyquan Thornton? Chiefs wideout emerges as WR1 after standout performance vs. Giants originally appeared on The Sporting News

The Kansas City Chiefs are a resourceful bunch. Undoubtedly one of the best-ran organizations in football, Andy Reid's side has plenty of superstars.

But its roster is also speckled with less heralded talents. For every Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, there's an Isiah Pacheco and George Karflatis -- steady options who shine away from the spotlight.

Now, the Chiefs have another. Tyquan Thornton started his Kansas City career a virtual unknown. He's anything but that now, lighting NFL stadiums with blazing speed and a touchdown threat that appears to have come out of nowhere.

Here's what you need to know about Thornton, one of Mahomes' most trusted pass-catchers.

Who is Tyquan Thornton?

Thornton is a wide receiver for the Chiefs. The 2025 season is his fourth as a professional; he spent his first three years in New England after being selected in the second round of the 2022 draft.

Billed as a vertical threat with a lengthy catch radius and blistering speed, Thornton was a bit of a contentious prospect out of college. The Baylor alum was a fairly productive talent in school, collecting 2,242 yards and 19 touchdowns across four seasons.

But shaky hands, a lithe frame and limited route-running had some scouts -- including NFL.com's Lance Zierlein -- considering him a Day 3 talent.

New England disagreed, drafting the youngster with the hope of turning him into a plus talent at the next level. That didn't quite happen in Foxsborough; Thornton played sparingly with the Pats, amassing 39 catches for 385 yards and two touchdowns in 28 appearances. In Nov. 2024, Thornton was waived. Days later, he was picked up by Kansas City.

Initially viewed as a reserve piece, Thornton quietly crept up the depth chart after Rashee Rice's suspension. He was listed as JuJu Smith-Schuster's backup ahead of the Chiefs' Week 3 bout with the Giants. He looked anything but in the clash, bursting beyond his marker to corral a Mahomes dart for a score.

TIGHT WINDOW TYQUAN 🙌 pic.twitter.com/PSPHkEKUMz

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) September 22, 2025

He tacked on another highlight later in the fixture, sprawling to reel in a lengthy Mahomes pellet.

OH MYYYYYY! pic.twitter.com/jIaB0mMM4V

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) September 22, 2025

Thornton finished the match with five catches, 71 yards and a score. All represented career highs for the 25-year old, who looks to have emerged as one of Mahomes' favorite targets in recent memory.