The Kansas City Chiefs may be losing wide receiver Tyquan Thornton for an extended time after his gruesome injury on Sunday.
Thornton was hurt late in the fourth quarter, suffering an apparent ankle dislocation after pulling down a 55-yard catch. Thornton had to be carted off the field, and one noted sports doctor believes he could now see an extended absence.
Tyquan Thornton Headed to Lengthy Injury Absence
David Chao, a former team doctor for the then-San Diego Chargers, noted that the severity of Thornton’s injury was immediately clear. In a video posted after the game, Chao suggested that Thornton
“It’s somewhat graphic,” Chao said of the injury. “You’ve got the ankle pointed west and the knee pointed north.”
Chao added that Thornton was able to get up and celebrate his catch before realizing the severity of the injury, but noted that this reaction could be misleading.
Chao added that Thornton likely fractured his ankle on the play.
“That’s another example where I say you’ve got to judge the injury and not the reaction,” Chao said. “That’s a left ankle fracture/dislocation. It’s very hard to dislocate your ankle, near impossible, without there being a fracture.”
Chiefs Plan to Evaluate Tyquan Thornton This Week
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said after the game that the injury did not look good, but said the team would not have a more thorough diagnosis until he could be evaluated at the start of the week.
“Tyquan Thornton’s ankle, that doesn’t look good,” Reid told reporters. “He’s going to fly back with us and we’ll get further evaluation later here.”
Reid also shared praise for Thornton and his contributions to the team. The wide receiver had one of the best games of his career prior to the injury, making six receptions for 111 yards and two touchdowns.
“That’s a rough one when you see your teammate [get hurt], especially a guy like Tyquan,” Reid said. “Great father, great husband and all that. Just his attitude. You guys deal with him, you know. His attitude’s unbelievable. He’s great for the team and kind of a leader for that group in there.”
Chiefs Face Difficult Prediction on Tyquan Thornton From Sports Doc