Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce saw firsthand how well Tyquan Thornton played on Sunday. However, they also witnessed the fifth-year wide receiver suffer a gruesome ankle injury in the fourth quarter.
Thornton is scheduled to undergo surgery this week but remains in high spirits. He posted a positive message on Instagram, which the star quarterback and tight end reacted to.
Mahomes and Kelce sent strong messages to Thornton. The two stars showed their support for their teammate amid the unfortunate injury news.
“You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step! 🕺🏽🙏🏾,” Thornton captioned his Instagram post on Monday.
Mahomes and Kelce were among several Chiefs players to react to Thornton’s post.
“My dawg! 🙏🏽💪🏽,” Mahomes commented.
“All we make is big plays!!!! 🔥🔥,” Kelce said.
Thornton will be sidelined for the next 12 to 16 weeks but has a chance to return later this season. If the wideout shows good progress, he could be back on the field as early as Week 16 when the Chiefs host the San Francisco 49ers. However, should Thornton need the full 16 weeks to recover, it would push his potential return into the postseason, assuming Kansas City makes the playoffs.
The 26-year-old finished Sunday’s 30-27 win over the Las Vegas Raiders with five receptions for 111 yards and two touchdowns. It was the first two-touchdown NFL game of his career.
Kansas City has a bye in Week 5 and will next host the Los Angeles Chargers on Oct. 18. The Chiefs will then embark on a two-game road trip against the Denver Broncos and New York Jets. They are 4-0 and one of only three remaining undefeated teams this season.
