 Thuney with theNew England Patriots in 2017 | |||||||
| No. 62 – Chicago Bears | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Guard | ||||||
| Roster status | Active | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born | (1992-11-18)November 18, 1992 (age 33) Centerville, Ohio, U.S. | ||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||||
| Listed weight | 301 lb (137 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school | Archbishop Alter (Kettering, Ohio) | ||||||
| College | NC State (2011–2015) | ||||||
| NFL draft | 2016: 3rd round, 78th overall pick | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of 2025 | |||||||
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Joseph Thuney (/ˈtuːni/TOO-nee; born November 18, 1992[1]) is an American professionalfootballguard for theChicago Bears of theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football for theNC State Wolfpack.[2] He was selected by theNew England Patriots in the third round (78th overall) in the2016 NFL draft. Thuney is the first player in NFL history to start in theSuper Bowl in each of his first three seasons.[3]
Thuney was born to Mike and Beth Thuney inCenterville, Ohio. He was raised in Centerville along with his brother Eric and sisters Monica and Megan.[4] Thuney attended Incarnation Catholic School before becoming a member of two D4 state championship teams atArchbishop Alter High School. As a Senior he was Greater Catholic League Lineman of the Year and president of his senior class.[5]
Thuney played sparingly atNC State during his freshman year. He came into hisredshirt sophomore year as the projected startingcenter but ended up starting the season opener atright tackle, the second game at right guard and the last 10 games at left tackle.[6] In his junior year he started atleft guard and at left tackle his senior year. He became the firstoffensive lineman for NC State to be named anAll-American sinceJim Ritcher in 1979.[7] He was a finalist for the Campbell Trophy, which rewards the best combination of academics, community service, and performance on the field, and he graduated from NC Statecum laude in three years. According to NFL reporter Matt Verderame, when Thuney took theWonderlic Personnel Test he avoided answering many of the questions so he would not come off as too smart.[8] He later earnedMaster of Business Administration fromKelley School of Business atIndiana University Bloomington.[9]
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | Wingspan | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft4+5⁄8 in (1.95 m) | 304 lb (138 kg) | 32+1⁄4 in (0.82 m) | 9+5⁄8 in (0.24 m) | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | 4.95 s | 1.70 s | 2.84 s | 4.54 s | 7.47 s | 28.5 in (0.72 m) | 9 ft 2 in (2.79 m) | 28 reps |
| All values fromNFL Combine[10][11][12] | ||||||||||||
Thuney was selected by the Patriots in the third round of the2016 NFL draft with the 78th overall selection, 13 picks before the Patriots drafted his teammate, quarterbackJacoby Brissett.[13] Thuney won the starting left guard spot to start the season and remained the starter for all 16 regular-season games; according toPro-Football-Reference.com, he played the highest number of snaps of any Patriot in 2016. He also started all three postseason games. On February 5, 2017, Thuney was part of the Patriots team that wonSuper Bowl LI. In the game, the Patriots defeated theAtlanta Falcons by a score of 34–28 in overtime.[14][15] ThePFWA named Thuney to its 2016 All-Rookie Team at guard.[16] Thuney made it to his second straightSuper Bowl when the Patriots defeated theJacksonville Jaguars in theAFC Championship Game. The Patriots failed to repeat as Super Bowl champions when they lost 41–33 to thePhiladelphia Eagles.
Thuney once again started all 16 games at left guard for the Patriots in 2018, and for the third time in his three-year career, the Patriots made it to the Super Bowl, becoming the first player in NFL history to start in the Super Bowl in each of his first three seasons.[3] The Patriots defeated theLos Angeles Rams 13–3 to win their secondSuper Bowl in three years.[17] Thuney played every offensive snap for the team and helped contain Defensive Player of the YearAaron Donald.[18]
The Patriots placed thefranchise tag on Thuney on March 16, 2020.[19] He signed the franchise tag on March 20, 2020.[20]
In 2020, withDavid Andrews out oninjured reserve, Thuney was pressed into service atcenter for the Patriots' Week 3 game against theLas Vegas Raiders.[21]
Thuney signed a five-year, $80 million contract with theKansas City Chiefs on March 18, 2021.[22] Thuney continued to play left guard for the Chiefs during the2022 NFL season. The Chiefs would go on toSuper Bowl LVII where Thuney helped to hold thePhiladelphia Eagles defense in check, as the offensive line gave up zero sacks and the Chiefs defeated the Eagles 38–35.[23] This was his thirdSuper Bowl ring and first with the Chiefs. In 2023, Thuney was named First-teamAll-Pro. In the Divisional Round against theBuffalo Bills, Thuney had a pectoral injury that sidelined him for the rest of the playoffs. Without Thuney, the Chiefs wonSuper Bowl LVIII 25–22 against theSan Francisco 49ers to give Thuney his fourth Super Bowl championship.[24]
On July 17, 2024, Thuney was placed on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list.[25] He was activated off of the list on July 28, 2024.[26] In Week 15, following an injury to newly signed tackleD. J. Humphries, Thuney switched to playing left tackle.Mike Caliendo took Thuney's place at left guard, and this arrangement continued throughout the postseason. In the 2024 NFL season, Thuney helped the Chiefs reachSuper Bowl LIX, but he gave up 7 pressures and a sack, and the team lost 40–22 to the Eagles.[27]
On March 12, 2025, Thuney was traded to theChicago Bears in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the2026 NFL draft.[28] On May 20, Thuney signed a two-year, $35 million contract with Chicago that runs through the 2027 season.[29]
In Thuney's first season as a Bear, the offensive line went from allowing 68 sacks in 2024 to just 24.[30] He was named first-team All-Pro for a third consecutive season and to his fourth Pro Bowl roster; Thuney was the team's first interior offensive lineman to receive the former honor since centerJay Hilgenberg in 1989 and their first guard sinceDick Barwegen in 1951.[31][32] In the Divisional Round against theLos Angeles Rams, Thuney was moved to left tackle following an injury toOzzy Trapilo, withJordan McFadden taking his place at left guard.[33] At the15th NFL Honors, Thuney received the inauguralNFL Protector of the Year Award.[34]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Won theSuper Bowl | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Offense | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Snaps | Pct | Holding | False Start | Decl/Pen | Acpt/Pen | ||||
| 2016 | NE | 16 | 16 | 1,114 | 100% | 6 | 3 | 1 | 9 | ||
| 2017 | NE | 16 | 16 | 1,134 | 100% | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | ||
| 2018 | NE | 16 | 16 | 1,119 | 100% | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 2019 | NE | 16 | 16 | 1,140 | 99% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2020 | NE | 16 | 16 | 979 | 97% | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | ||
| 2021 | KC | 17 | 17 | 1,185 | 99% | 4 | 3 | 1 | 7 | ||
| 2022 | KC | 15 | 15 | 999 | 98% | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 2023 | KC | 17 | 17 | 1,087 | 97% | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 2024 | KC | 17 | 17 | 1,117 | 97% | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
| 2025 | CHI | 17 | 17 | 1,149 | 100% | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | ||
| Career | 163 | 163 | 11,033 | — | 19 | 11 | 2 | 33 | |||
