The Kansas City Chiefs won a hard-fought 30-27 victory over their divisional rival Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday and improved to 4-0, one of three remaining undefeated teams.
But the heart-stopping win came at a significant cost, as the Chiefs lost wide receiver Tyquan Thornton, who appeared poised for a career-best season, to a gruesome ankle injury.
Thornton dislocated his left ankle Sunday and faces an indefinite absence, with a January return the best-case scenario, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, speaking on NFL Network’s The Aftermath Monday afternoon.
Later on Monday, another NFL insider — Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports — reported that Thornton would require surgery, with a return timeline of three to four months. Zenith’s report lines up generally with Rapport’s information.
“Testing today revealed that Chiefs receiver Tyquan Thornton will need surgery after dislocating his ankle yesterday but, on a positive note, the recovery timetable is expected to be 3-4 months and there’s even a small chance of a late season return,” Zeintiz wrote.
Rapoport then posted an update of his own, with nearly identical information on Thornton.
“After extensive tests today, Tyquan Thornton is expected back within 12 to 16 weeks, sources say. He’ll have surgery within the week and there is a real chance at a late-season or playoff return,” Rapoport wrote.
The injury lands as Rashee Rice nurses a hamstring tweak and Tyreek Hill’s agent opens talks, leaving a pressing question about who stretches the field for Patrick Mahomes now.
Thornton caught a 55-yard Mahomes pass late in the fourth quarter of Kansas City’s 30-27 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Raiders rookie safety Treydan Stukes pulled him down from behind and landed across the ankle, according to The Athletic‘s report.
Thornton started to celebrate, pushed up on his right foot, then spotted his left foot pointing the wrong way, according to CBS Sports‘ coverage.
Thornton’s Extensive History of Injuries
Before the injury, Thornton had five catches on eight targets for 111 yards and two touchdowns, according to ESPN. It was, statistically, the best game of his career.
Doctors reset the joint Sunday, and Thornton flew home with the team instead of staying overnight in a hospital. Rapoport called both developments encouraging, with imaging still pending.
Thornton, 26, has played 46 games, with 69 catches for 1,042 yards and seven touchdowns, according to ESPN. The New England Patriots drafted him in the second round, 50th overall, in 2022 and waived him in November 2024. Kansas City signed him to its practice squad three days later, then gave him a two-year, $11 million deal in March, according to NBC Sports.
Injuries have plagued him. A kickoff-return injury at Baylor cost him multiple games in 2020, according to Pats Pulpit, and a concussion ended his 2025 season in December.
In three seasons in New England, injuries limited Thornton to just 28 games out of a possible 51.
Chiefs Chase Tyreek Hill Reunion Without Thornton
“It would be a surprise if Hill does not sign back with the Kansas City Chiefs — although, I guess, we’ve been surprised before,” Rapoport said on NFL Network.
Hill’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, expects a deal “over the next few days,” according to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter. Kansas City is very interested, and Hill, 32, is targeting a November return from a severe knee injury, according to The Athletic reporter Mike Silver.
Until then, Xavier Worthy leads the healthy group, followed by Jalen Royals, Cyrus Allen and Nikko Remigio. Brian Thomas Jr. and DeAndre Hopkins also surfaced as outside options, according to a Bleacher Report analysis.
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