Best Week 5 performances from Baylor Bears players in the NFL
Week 5 of the NFL has wrapped up, with many former Baylor Bears players making an impact for their teams. From offense to defense, the emergence of the Baylor pipeline in the NFL has become stronger with the breakout of recent former Bears standouts.
WR Tyquan Thornton - Kansas City Chiefs
Despite the return of star wide receiver Xavier Worthy for the Kansas City Chiefs, former Baylor wideout Tyquan Thornton continues to make an impact on the Chiefs' offense. Thornton ended the Sunday Night Football matchup with 90 receiving yards, leading both teams.
After another strong performance by Thornton, he now leads the Chiefs in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. After being a waiver pick-up in 2024, Kansas City has found a gem in the former Baylor wide receiver. While Thornton's role early on was only to fill in for injuries and suspensions in the Chiefs' receiver room, his breakout and development will guarantee playing time for him going forward.
DB Jalen Pitre - Houston Texans
The Houston Texans have had a strong comeback after starting the season 0-3. The Texans have outscored their opponents 70-10 over their last two matchups, and a significant portion of this is due to their defense, which features former Baylor safety Jalen Pitre.
Pitre had another strong showing on Sunday, logging 4 tackles, 2 passes defensed, and 2 interceptions in the team's 44-10 win over the Baltimore Ravens. The first of Pitre's interceptions would come as the Ravens try to fight back down 24-3. Quarterback Cooper Rush looks to find running back Derrick Henry, but Pitre mirrors him perfectly and cuts the play off for the team's first turnover of the day. The former Baylor defensive back would have an 8-yard return and set the Houston offense up in scoring range.
Pitre's next interception would come with a bit of luck. Veteran tight end Mark Andrews turned his head before completing a catch and bobbled the pass before hitting it up to the young defensive back. Pitre has stepped up big for the Texans in 2025 and has become a core part of their defense, and with a payday nearing, his strong play should see a big extension for the third-year safety.
LB Terrel Bernard - Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard continues to shine, as he ended Sunday night's loss, leading the team in tackles. Bernard finished the day with 6 tackles, 6 solo, and a tackle for loss. The former Baylor linebacker started the game off hot, recovering a fumble forced on the Patriots' first play of the second drive. Despite his strong performance, the Bills came out of Sunday with their first loss of the season.
Bernard has been the leader of the defense for Buffalo and leads the team in tackles. The fourth-year linebacker has been better every year of his career, and after signing an extension in the offseason, has become one of the league's most promising linebackers.
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Kyle is a writer for the Baylor Bears on SI. He is a student at the University of New Orleans and studies journalism. He also covers the New Orleans Saints and has previously covered the LSU Tigers football team. Kyle loves all aspects of sports and has used that to pursue a career as a writer.