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After the Kansas City Chiefs’ third-straight loss to the Cincinnati Bengals within the last calendar year, emotions were running high around the KC community.
Many fans voiced their displeasure on social media — as is usually the case after a frustrating defeat — but this time certain players didn’t want to hear it. The lead voice of the resistance was safety Juan Thornhill, who sent out an expletive-filled tweet after the game.
Juan Thornhill, Chiefs Call Out Fans After Bengals Loss
Thornhill’s message was bold and unexpected, to say the least.
It read: “Let’s be f****** respectful here… we play our a** off each and every week for y’all and if a player give up a play or we lose a game y’all bash us. Come on now. We need people to lift us up not join the opposing team and drag us down.”
He did add that “I do appreciate the Real ones [fans]… much respect to you all.”
The statement appeared to take aim at the “fair-weather fans,” so to speak, but could apply to overcritical diehards too. Long story short, Thornhill wants Chiefs Kingdom to ride with the team, win or lose — not insult their players at the first sign of trouble.
It’s no coincidence that Thornhill and the secondary struggled to contain Joe Burrow and his diverse group of pass-catchers today. Aside from an interception that was called back because of a penalty, it wasn’t the vocal defensive back’s best day at the office despite finishing second in total tackles with 10 — which is not always a good thing in coverage.
Thornhill is an impending free agent in 2023, and although his words were at least somewhat popular with 11.5K likes and counting, comments like these are usually a good way to force your way out of town in free agency. The Chiefs also drafted a potential long-term replacement in Bryan Cook this April.
We should note that Thornhill was not completely alone after the loss. Defensive tackle Khalen Saunders joined him on Twitter but his words weren’t as aggressive as his teammate’s and seemed to target NFL fans as a whole.
“Chiefs lose it’s a national holiday,” Saunders wrote, “and what’s crazy is we don’t even talk s*** to nobody.. sheesh I wonder what made y’all hate us so much..? Success? 😂 geeeez Louise.”
“All good tho,” he concluded. “I guess that’s what happens when you at the top.. everybody gunning for you. That’s fair.”
Saunders and Thornhill are in a similar boat. Both are playing out the final season of their rookie contracts as 2019 draft picks, and both have had up-and-down tenures in Kansas City. The only difference is that the interior D-lineman is currently playing at the top of his game, while Thornhill has been pretty inconsistent in 2022.
Veteran team leader Frank Clark had a different message after the disappointing finish in Cincy. “I know today wasn’t our best effort,” the pass rusher told The Athletic’s Nate Taylor in the locker room. “We’ve got a long season left and I guarantee we won’t put on a display like that again.”
Fans Jab Back at Juan Thornhill, Others Show Support
Some of these tougher supporters did counter Thornhill’s message in the comments.
One popular reply read: “We pay y’all’s contracts, we got every right to be critical! Be better if you don’t want the heat.”
Another stated: “Any job that anyone has comes with criticism …. If I don’t do my job, I’ll get criticized and it’s deserved …. why would your job be any different?”
Others came to the safety’s defense. One wrote: “I stand with the Chiefs. Too many armchair coaches. As Andy [Reid] says ‘It’s tough to win in the NFL.’ I like any fan get frustrated, but have been a fan my whole life and have confidence the team will keep working to improve. Too many fans are so quick to criticize.”
Another urged his fellow viewers to show some perspective. “You guys literally put your bodies and health on the line for our entertainment,” they voiced. “Thank you. #PERSPECTIVE.”
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