Chiefs’ Tyquan Thornton Carted Off After Gruesome Ankle Injury on Game-Changing Catch

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyquan Thornton suffered a severe-looking left ankle injury during Sunday’s 30-27 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, moments after making the biggest play of his career.

With the Chiefs trailing 19-17 and facing third-and-4 at the 3:25 mark, quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw deep down the left sideline to Thornton, who caught the ball for a 55-yard gain. Raiders safety Treydan Stukes brought him down from behind, landing across Thornton’s left ankle in the process.

Thornton held onto the ball and appeared ready to celebrate before he tried to stand, looked down, and saw that his left foot was pointing in the wrong direction. CBS broadcasters Jim Nantz and J.J. Watt reacted to the replay on air.

“Oh, no,” Watt said. “Oh my goodness. I don’t even want to look at it,” Nantz added.

Medical staff placed Thornton’s leg in an air cast and carted him off the field. The Chiefs ruled him out for the remainder of the game with an ankle injury but had not released a more detailed diagnosis as of publication.

The injury came at a cruel moment for Thornton, a 2022 second-round pick of the New England Patriots who joined the Chiefs’ practice squad in November 2024, made the roster in 2025, and re-signed with the team in March after catching 19 passes for 438 yards and three touchdowns last season.

He entered Sunday’s game with 108 receiving yards over his previous two outings and was in the middle of the first 100-yard performance of his NFL career, catching five passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns before the injury.

Kansas City was already without receiver Rashee Rice, who left in the first quarter with a right hamstring injury and did not return. Rice had accumulated 190 receiving yards through the Chiefs’ first three games, leaving the team’s passing attack potentially shorthanded going forward.

Thornton’s 55-yard reception set up Kenneth Walker’s go-ahead touchdown on the following play, and the Chiefs held on for the win to improve to 4-0 on the season.