Thornhill’s journey through the NFL has taken a challenging turn, following his previous stint with the Cleveland Browns. After being released during the offseason, he signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, a decision that confirmed his commitment to remain in the competitive AFC North. However, his time with the Steelers has not yielded the expected results.
The Steelers demonstrated confidence in Thornhill and their safety lineup when they traded Minkah Fitzpatrick to acquire Jalen Ramsey, signaling their intention to bolster their defense. Thornhill defended his past performance in Cleveland, claiming that his contributions included many positive plays, despite the statistics telling a different story. Over two seasons with the Browns, he participated in just 22 games, recorded 103 tackles, and defended four passes but did not contribute any interceptions or sacks.
His Pro Football Focus grades reflected a moderate performance, scoring 66.5 and 65.5 during his time with the Browns. Unfortunately, his performance with the Steelers has declined significantly. With a troubling grade of 36.9, Thornhill was released by the team mid-season. In nine games with Pittsburgh, he managed only 38 tackles, one pass defended, and one fumble recovery.
The sharp contrast between his previous achievements with the Kansas City Chiefs and his recent struggles raises questions about his fit in different defensive schemes and the difficulties he faced transitioning to new teams. As the NFL season progresses, both Thornhill and the Steelers will be analyzing their future moves closely, hoping for a turnaround that allows the safety to regain his former stature.