Chiefs Safety Juan Thornhill Returns to Practice

Kansas City Chiefs safety Juan Thornhill returned to Chiefs practice on a limited basis on Wednesday, marking a positive step in the second-year player's return from a torn ACL.

Kansas City Chiefs safety Juan Thornhill returned to Chiefs practice on a limited basis on Wednesday, marking a positive step in the second-year player's return from a torn ACL he suffered in Week 17 of the 2019 season.

Thornhill began the preseason on the Physically Unable to Perform list as he rehabs from his injury, and head coach Andy Reid said the Chiefs will let Thornhill "ramp up" as he works back to full-speed.

I’m backkkkkkk 🍿⏰

— The Chosen Juan👑🙇🏽‍♂️ (@Juan_Thornhill) August 19, 2020

Thornhill officially passed his physical on Wednesday and is now on his way off of the PUP list.

In a press conference in late July, Thornhill's defensive backfield teammate, safety Tyrann Mathieu, spoke about what he hopes Thornhill can do in his return to the field.

"I would probably say my hope for Juan is obviously that he takes it easy, and he doesn’t put any extra stress on himself," Mathieu said. "He plays for a good football team, and I think we have the ability to play late into the season. Him being a young guy, I think the most important thing for him is his health. So, as long as he can kind of keep that in front of him, being anxious to play, I think he will make the right decisions."

Thanks @Juan_Thornhill and you and Julie Frymeyer put in that work all during the pandemic and all summer. It was a beautiful thing to watch. https://t.co/hdD05OQD8T

— Rick Burkholder (@proatc) August 19, 2020

Injury notwithstanding, Arrowhead Report's Sam Hays thinks Thornhill is a future All-Pro: 

So far, Thornhill has everything you could ask for in a young franchise free safety. He has the college production, the NFL production, the elite athleticism and the potential to get even better. Expect 2019 to be just the start of an amazing career for Juan Thornhill.