Chiefs Rookie Xavier Worthy Gets High Praise After Scoring 2 TDs In Season Opener
We already knew Xavier Worthy was fast. And he wasted no time showing off that speed in his NFL debut for the Kansas City Chiefs.
"I feel like nerves aren't really a thing for me," Worthy said after Thursday's season opener against the Baltimore Ravens. "I feel like I come in, and it's just like being a kid again, playing in the backyard."
He certainly looked comfortable.
The former Texas Longhorn scored on a 21-yard run on KC's first drive to tie the game 7-7. He scored again in the fourth quarter on a 35-yard touchdown catch that put the Chiefs up 27-17 — ultimately setting them up for a 27-20 home win to open the 2024 season.
Worthy was so pumped after his first touchdown that he forgot to retrieve the ball to keep as a memento, so quarterback Patrick Mahomes snagged it for him. And the three-time Super Bowl MVP had nothing but nice things to say about his new offensive weapon.
"He's so cool, calm and collected all the time," Mahomes told reporters. "You never even see the excitement on him, but he goes out there and makes plays. Obviously, we want to continue to use him more and more, but I thought he had a great day today, making big plays and big moments."
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At the 2024 Scouting Combine, the 21-year-old broke an NFL record by running the 40-yard dash in just 4.21 seconds. The Chiefs selected Worthy 28th overall in April, and he's set to be featured prominently alongside fellow wideouts Rashee Rice and Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, the latter of whom missed Thursday's opener due to injury.
"When we get Hollywood out there, it's going to be tough for defenses to decide who they want to cover," Mahomes said.
Without the veteran in the lineup, though, Worthy got his chance to shine. And the NFL world took notice.
Worthy went to Kansas City in part because the AFC rival Buffalo Bills opted not to select the rookie — trading out of the very pick the defending Super Bowl champs used for him.
And the folks on social media certainly haven't forgotten about it.
Fun fact: The Bills also traded picks with the Chiefs during the 2017 Draft. Buffalo gave up the No. 10 overall pick — allowing Kansas City to move up and take Patrick Mahomes.
It's far too early to assert that Worthy will reach Mahomes' level of greatness, of course. But watching the rookie wide receiver torch the Ravens' defense on Thursday night had to be rough for the folks in Buffalo.