New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick offered little explanation for the limited snap count for wide receiver Tyquan Thornton in Sunday’s game against the Washington Commanders.
Thornton has had trouble finding the field this season, mostly due to injuries and inconsistent play. The former Baylor product has three catches for 15 yards on the year.
He didn’t see much playing time against the Commanders, either. He was on the field for the first three series of the game and struggled to run a key route on his final series. He did not see action in the game after that.
When speaking with media members, Belichick claimed Thornton was available for the entire game, and he wasn’t pulled due to injury. So his absence means he was benched after 12 snaps in the game.
Bill Belichick said Tyquan Thornton was available for all of yesterday's game. Wasn't injured.
That means he was benched after 12 snaps. He didn't play at all in the second half. Finished with one catch on four targets for 8 yards. pic.twitter.com/8YbsT2eoaQ
— Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN) November 6, 2023
There was hope that Thornton would break out this season, but it hasn’t happened yet.
It will be interesting to see if his role on the team continues to diminish or improves at a time when New England needs all the help they can get at wide receiver.
