One of the Chiefs’ most underrated pending free agents made his priorities for the 2026 NFL free agency period clear, and they might not lead him back to Kansas City.

Tyquan Thornton spoke to 810 Sports Radio’s Jason Anderson in Radio Row at Super Bowl LX in San Francisco, California, talking about everything from his arrival in Kansas City to his big play in Week 3 against the New York Giants. Thornton joined the Chiefs’ practice squad during the 2024 NFL season after spending his first few years in the league with the New England Patriots. He quickly realized that he had a strong connection with Patrick Mahomes.

“Last year, when I signed with them in December, when I was on the practice squad we’d have like offensive periods where we just on air,” Thornton began. “And they would throw me out there, after I learned to play the playbook and stuff like that, they’d throw me out there, and Pat (Mahomes) will just come, like, I’m probably not even a read, I shouldn’t even say that, because you’re always the read when Pat’s out there. But he’ll just go out there and just chuck the ball down the field and, you know, to see what I had. And I was just running up under and making the catch and stuff like that. And when I started seeing him come to me more often during practice, I’m like, ‘Alright, he likes me.’ You feel me? And I was just trying to make the catch every time he threw it.”

Thornton burst onto the scene as a potential contributor during the 2025 NFL offseason through training camp and the preseason, but he was thrown into the fire early on in the year with the suspension of Rashee Rice and the shoulder injury suffered by Xavier Worthy.

The Chiefs’ usage of Tyquan Thornton in 2025 may lead him elsewhere in 2026 NFL free agency

Asked about whether there had been any conversations between the Chiefs and his representation about a new contract, Thornton deferred to his agents.

“I think that’s between like them and my agents,” Thornton said.

Anderson then reframed the question, asking whether Thornton would like to return to the Chiefs. Naturally, after enjoying the most successful season of his career in K.C., Thornton wants to be back in 2026. However, the Chiefs seem to have some work to do to sell him on that.

“Definitely want to be back to Kansas City,” Thornton said. “But, you know, I mean, I want to —wherever I go — I want to have my fair share of targets go out there and contribute and play at a high level.”

While Thornton clarified that he felt he got his fair share of work in Kansas City, the reality paints a different picture. After playing 72% or more of the offensive snaps in the first three weeks of the season, Thornton averaged just 29% of the offensive snaps in the 11 ensuing games. With that, his targets and offensive contributions began to fade while his special teams contributions started to go up. 13 of his 19 catches on the season came in the first five weeks. 272 of his 438 yards and all three of his touchdown grabs also came in those first five games.

For the Chiefs to bring back Thornton in free agency, it’s clear that they’re going to need to sell him on greater involvement on the offensive side of the ball. It’s not just about snaps and targets either, but also diversifying his role within the offense to show that he’s more than just a deep threat at receiver. Frankly, it’s something that should’ve been revisited during the 2025 NFL season after the success he saw early in the year out of sheer necessity.

These comments suggest Thornton might test the free-agent market. With the salary cap tight for Kansas City, they probably won’t be too keen on getting into a bidding war for his services either.