KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Three years ago as a rookie, Kansas City Chiefs safety Juan Thornhill seemed to be a potential star in the making.
Thornhill, a second-round pick from Virginia, started all 16 games, a rarity for first-year players in defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s scheme, and finished with three interceptions — returning one for a touchdown — and five passes defended.
But everything came crashing down during the season finale against the Los Angeles Chargers when Thornhill tore an ACL.
Now, he believes he’s finally ready to pick up where he left off as a rookie before the injury.
“I’ve got high expectations,” Thornhill said Tuesday after the first day of Chiefs minicamp. “It’s as simple as that. I’m planning on playing my best football by far, playing at the top of my game. I’m expecting an All-Pro season. I’m saying that right now.”
Hopefully, Thornhill’s declaration works out as well as Alex Gordon’s vow to “dominate” in 2011, which he made late in his miserable 2010 season. Gordon delivered the best OPS+ (140) and WAR (7.3) of his career the next season.
It remains to be seen if Thornhill can emerge as one of the NFL's top free safeties.
When Thornhill returned for training camp in 2020, he didn’t seem to be the same player as he struggled to win back his starting spot and his production dipped.
Thornhill admitted that he was in his head about the injury, which also dinged his confidence. Those struggles continued last season and, while he never missed a game, he seemed hesitant at times.
But those days, if Thornhill is to be believed, are over.
“I’m all the way back,” Thornhill said. “If you were out there watching me play, I’m out there flying around. I’m not thinking about the knee at all. My confidence is on a high. I feel l can run and compete with anybody on the field. Like I said before, I’m going to have an All-Pro season.”
The Chiefs lost a former All-Pro safety, Tyrann Mathieu, during the offseason.
He signed with New Orleans after Kansas City went with former Houston safety Justin Reid in free agency.
That leaves Thornhill as the senior member of the Chiefs’ secondary at safety.
“I love it, honestly,” Thornhill said. “Just being the oldest guy in the room with a bunch of rookies — I basically can lead the way now.”
Thornhill said he already feels a brotherhood in the safety room and that he learned a lot from Mathieu, which helped him transition into a leadership role.
“I took a lot from him,” Thornhill said. “He was that guy that got everyone into place. I was really quiet when he was here, because I knew he was the type of guy that was a leader. I just followed in his footsteps. Now, it’s my time to take on that role and get everybody lined up, so I think he did a good job helping me get to this spot in my fourth year and be that leader.”
Thornhill said he’s in a better spot mentally and physically. He’s also settled into his starting role again, which has him poised to help lead the back end of the Chiefs’ defense to greater heights in 2022.
“I want the guys to have fun,” Thornhill said. “Sometimes, playing this game, you feel like you have a lot of pressure on you, but we don’t want that pressure. We just want to go out there and have a lot of fun, enjoy the game. That’s when you make a lot of plays, when you’re comfortable.”
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