Former Kansas City Chiefs starting safety and second-round pick Juan Thornhill was released by the Pittsburgh Steelers ahead of Week 11, and the abrupt parting of ways sparked the idea of a potential KC reunion once he cleared waivers on November 11.
“Former Chiefs S Juan Thornhill (Steelers) cleared waivers. He’s now a free agent,” A-to-Z Sports Kansas City reporter Charles Goldman relayed on Tuesday evening.
Goldman added that it is “worth noting that Kansas City isn’t full on veteran eligibility on the practice squad, if they wanted to bring [Thornhill] back.”
And we all know how much general manager Brett Veach and head coach Andy Reid’s coaching staff love their reunions. Will Thornhill be the next in a long line of Chiefs veterans to return home?
Should Chiefs Re-Sign Juan Thornhill After Sudden Week 11 Release From Steelers?
GettyFormer Kansas City Chiefs safety Juan Thornhill celebrates the Super Bowl LVII victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Thornhill was a member of two Super Bowl teams — joining the Chiefs in 2019 before leaving after the 2022 season. He was injured for the 2019 playoff run but started all 3 games in 2022-23, including the Super Bowl.
In total, Thornhill started 58 games for Kansas City over his four-year tenure, combining regular season and postseason. He appeared in 74.
With the Chiefs, Thornhill made a clear impact as a ball hawk defensive back, intercepting 8 passes with 1 memorable interception returned for a touchdown. Unfortunately, that trait has not carried over to his stops in Cleveland and Pittsburgh, with zero interceptions since leaving KC.
Thornhill was a useful cog in defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s secondary. He broke up 29 passes and racked up 6 tackles for a loss. The draft prospect also registered 1.0 sack and 1 forced fumble, along with 4 QB hits and 263 total tackles.
If Spagnuolo feels Thornhill can help provide depth down the stretch, and the former draft pick is open to returning on a practice squad deal, this could be a Chiefs fit worth monitoring in Week 11.
Chiefs Utilize 3-Man Safety Rotation in 2025
If Thornhill did sign back with Kansas City, he’d likely take veteran Mike Edwards’ role as the fourth safety inside the organization. Edwards is currently on the practice squad, but he makes for an easy elevation if the Chiefs are ever shorthanded.
Thornhill would likely be an upgrade on Edwards, but there’s no telling if he’d be interested in this type of emergency duty.
On the active roster, KC is pretty well-staffed in the secondary. Bryan Cook and Chamarri Conner have started at safety this season, with second-year draft pick Jaden Hicks serving as the ever-impactful third safety on the back end.
On top of those three, Spagnuolo also utilizes the versatile Christian Roland-Wallace all over his secondary, with undrafted rookie Kevin Knowles helping out on special teams and at nickel (if needed).
The Chiefs also have several boundary cornerbacks on the 53, including a player like Trent McDuffie, who can also kick inside and give Spagnuolo an All-Pro-caliber performance in the slot.
Needless to say, there’s no clear need for Thornhill at this time, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. If one or two injuries occur on the back end, Kansas City could be starting an experienced DB like Thornhill once again, and that supplies Spagnuolo with another reliable insurance policy in the event he needs it.
After the 5-4 start, the Chiefs have no room for error. They must do everything in their power to get this roster and this team ready for another playoff berth and postseason run.
Ex-Chiefs 58-Game Starter, 2-Time Champ Available After Sudden Release