Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images The past Patriots and past Chiefs in the fold for Sunday at Gillette Stadium. An organization that includes Rick Burkholder and Brendan Daly on staff also includes some semblance of familiarity beyond it. Two former New England Patriots currently reside with the Kansas City Chiefs between the active roster and practice squad. One connection can be found in the locker room in Foxborough, too, entering the home stretch of the regular season. Here’s a glance through the brief list of past Patriots and past Chiefs players ahead of Sunday’s 1 p.m. ET flexed-out kickoff at Gillette Stadium. KANSAS CITY Joe Thuney, guard — The Patriots filled out Thuney’s draft card in the third round of the 2016 draft class at No. 78 overall. The North Carolina State product would go on to start all 90 of his appearances, including postseason, during his tenure. Super Bowl LI and LIII rings were earned. Spots on the Pro Football Writers of America’s All-Rookie team plus the franchise’s All-Dynasty and All-Decade teams also were for the 2019 second-team All-Pro left guard. After playing on the franchise tag the following campaign, Thuney departed from New England on a five-year, $80 million contract as an unrestricted free agent. The 31-year-old’s run with Kansas City has brought a combined 51 starts. In 2022, he earned Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors in addition to a Super Bowl LVII ring. This campaign, Thuney has handled all 877 offensive snaps. Mike Pennel, defensive tackle — Pennel rejoined the Chiefs as part of the practice squad in October. The 32-year-old nose tackle previously checked into 28 games with Kansas City on the way to becoming a Super Bowl LIV champion, recording 61 tackles and one sack. And prior to then, he had signed a two-year contract worth up to $8 million with New England as the 2019 league year opened. Pennel would play in three preseason games before being released by the Patriots that summer. He found his next roster two months later following a series of workouts. The 2014 undrafted arrival by way of Scottsdale Community College, Arizona State and Colorado State-Pueblo has also been a member of the Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons. NEW ENGLAND JuJu Smith-Schuster, wide receiver — A one-year deal with the Chiefs was reached in 2022 for Smith-Schuster. It led to 16 starts, 88 catches, 1,022 yards and three touchdowns from the opener up through Super Bowl LVII. The 27-year-old wideout then agreed to terms with the Patriots on a three-year, $25.5 million pact in March. He has since totaled 29 receptions for 260 yards and one touchdown. Last Thursday night, the former No. 62 overall pick out of USC hit his season best with 90 receiving yards against the club that drafted him. From 2017 through 2021, Smith-Schuster logged 323 catches for 3,855 yards and 23 touchdowns in the regular season for the Pittsburgh Steelers, adding one kickoff return for a touchdown as well as one Pro Bowl nod. Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/2023/12/13/2 ... es-week-15
