Chiefs Wide Receiver Posts Sad Two-Word Reaction to Joe Thuney Trade

This wideout seemed bummed to hear the guard was heading to the Bears.
Kansas City Chiefs guard Joe Thuney on Dec 17, 2023.
Kansas City Chiefs guard Joe Thuney on Dec 17, 2023. / Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The Kansas City Chiefs on Wednesday traded All-Pro guard Joe Thuney to the Chicago Bears in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round pick, a somewhat surprising move but ultimately a sensible one considering the $16 million it clears off the cap for K.C.

Thuney is said to be loved inside Arrowhead, so while the swap provides some relief for the front office, it comes as a bummer to at least one (and very likely more) of his now-former teammates.

"Not Joeeeeeee," wide receiver Mecole Hardman Jr. posted on X (formerly Twitter), just hours after news of the deal went public.

Now with Chicago, Thuney, 32, will help new head coach Ben Johnson make good on his goal of improving the Bears' offensive line, a must for young quarterback Caleb Williams, who notably took 68 sacks last season. Indeed, adding a stud like Thuney—a four-time Super Bowl champion and four-time All Pro—should certainly help.

But Hardman, for his part, might not even be with the Chiefs much longer to notice Thuney's absence. The 26-year-old signed a one-year contract with K.C. last offseason, meaning he's heading into free agency as we speak.

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Brigid Kennedy
BRIGID KENNEDY

Brigid Kennedy is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, she covered political news, sporting news and culture at TheWeek.com before moving to Livingetc, an interior design magazine. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, dual majoring in television, radio and film (from the Newhouse School of Public Communications) and marketing managment (from the Whitman School of Management). Offline, she enjoys going to the movies, reading and watching the Steelers.