On Sunday, Feb. 12, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles to win Super Bowl 57. With the victory, the Chiefs and former NC State standout Joe Thuney have established themselves as the next great NFL dynasty.
In a game highlighted by spectacular performances by two of the best quarterbacks in the league, it was no surprise that offensive play dominated the flow of the game and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, in particular, was able to shine. However, the Chiefs’ offensive line and Thuney, played an integral role in this game.
Facing a very talented Philadelphia defense, Thuney and the rest of the line helped prevent Mahomes from getting sacked for the entire game. This feat was extremely impressive because the Eagles led the NFL with 70 total sacks this season.
Thuney, now a three-time Super Bowl champion, lined up for NC State from 2011 to 2015. In his Wolfpack career, he battled injuries that caused him to miss a considerable amount of time throughout his years at State. Despite these setbacks, in 2013, he truly showed his capabilities.
Thuney began the season at right tackle and split time at right guard and left tackle for the remainder of the season. Even though he was sidelined with an injury for the first four games of his junior year, he still played at a high level in the remaining eight games.
The NFL came calling in 2016, when the New England Patriots drafted Thuney 78th overall in the third round. In the height of the Patriots’ dynasty, head coach Bill Belichick was hoping to continue his team’s amazing run by adding Thuney to the already stacked offensive line. In his first season in New England, he saw significant playing time, making an appearance in every game and tallying 1,184 total snaps. He earned his first Super Bowl ring as the Patriots capped off an immaculate 28-3 comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons.
After a frustrating 2017 season, Thuney truly began to break out in the 2018 season, when he started every game for the Patriots and ranked third in the NFL with 1,120 total snaps played. That same year, he went the entire season without allowing a sack. Thuney and the Patriots finished out the year on a high note yet again with a win over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl 53.
Following his second championship ring in three seasons, Thuney continued to prove himself to be a staple in the Patriots offensive line. Over the next two seasons combined, he only allowed three sacks and committed just three penalties. His success in the trenches also helped establish New England’s rushing attack, which ranked fourth in the NFL in total rushing yards in 2020.
After the 2020 season, Thuney had reached the end of his contract and sought a new one. Unable to come to an agreement with the Patriots, Thuney took his talents to Kansas City, committing to a five-year, $80 million deal. With this move, he put himself in a similar situation as he was in as a Patriot — in the presence of another talented quarterback in Mahomes and a legendary coach in Andy Reid.
In his first season with the Chiefs, he continued to get lots of playing time, and as a result, ranked third in the league in total snaps. Even though limiting penalties was certainly an issue for Thuney, he continued to perform consistently and only allowed one sack.
Moving forward into the 2022 season, Thuney had arguably his best season in his NFL career. Even though his snap total dipped under the 1,000 mark, he was highly efficient as he improved in regards to penalties, only collecting a pair and allowing just one sack yet again. At the conclusion of the regular season, he was named to his first Pro Bowl.
As the Chiefs stormed through the regular season and playoffs, it was evident that this team had the potential to go all the way. With a powerful offense led by Mahomes, the Chiefs continued to find ways to win games. These wins can largely be attributed to their offensive line, which only allowed 26 total sacks throughout the season — the third lowest total in the league.
Despite allowing three sacks in the AFC Championship, Thuney and the line rebounded by putting forth a superb performance in Super Bowl 57. With the victory, his three championships are the most that have been won by any former NC State player.
On the heels of his seventh year in the NFL, Joe Thuney has emerged as one of the league’s most talented offensive linemen. With continued consistency and efficiency, he’s been an unsung hero of his teams’ three championship runs. If he is able to continue his stellar work, it should not be a surprise if he picks up a few more Super Bowls in the near future.
