Now back in the country following a trip to São Paulo for Week 1, the Kansas City Chiefs‘ home opener is here. Week 2 brings yet another serious challenge, as the Philadelphia Eagles come rolling into town.
It’s an early regular-season rematch of February’s Super Bowl LIX. Not a ton has changed for either roster since then on a grand scale, but Philadelphia’s 1-0 start trumps Kansas City’s 0-1 record.
Neither squad came into the weekend fully healthy. In advance of Sunday’s game, the Eagles ruled tight end Dallas Goedert out with a knee injury. The Chiefs have their fair share of ailments to deal with as well, including star wide receiver Xavier Worthy.
Worthy is among several Chiefs players who are inactive for Week 2. The full list includes him, fellow wideout Jalen Royals, tight end Jared Wiley, running back Elijah Mitchell, offensive lineman Hunter Nourzad and defensive end Malik Herring.
Pair of Chiefs Wide Receivers Missing Super Bowl Rematch vs. Eagles
Worthy being out is no surprise. The second-year man suffered a dislocated shoulder last week against the Los Angeles Chargers and was limited in practice upon returning. Head coach Andy Reid initially ruled him doubtful to play in Week 2, but he got ruled out on Saturday.
On a Sunday episode of NFL Network’s “NFL GameDay” program, league insider Ian Rapoport provided an update on Worthy’s status. His colleague Mike Garafolo also confirmed a potential Week 3 target for his return.
“They are not going to have Xavier Worthy after that friendly fire shot that Travis Kelce took the blame for,” Rapoport said. “He was doubtful, then he was ruled out. Two key factors here as the Chiefs go into today’s game without their two top receivers, Rashee Rice and Worthy. First of all, my understanding is Worthy is looking good to play next week for the Chiefs and if he does so, he will do it with a fully-torn labrum and a harness. It sounds crazy, but it is something that several NFL players do.”
Like Worthy, Royals was ruled out before the game. The fourth-round pick has nursed knee tendonitis for weeks, holding him out of practice as a result. Royals didn’t practice this week at all and presumably won’t play until he does.
Without Worthy and Royals, the Chiefs will rely on veterans like Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster to get the job done. Rice is serving a six-game suspension.
Second-Round Pick Omarr Norman-Lott to Make NFL Debut
One good piece of injury-related news for Kansas City pertains to the defensive line. Rookie defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott isn’t listed among the club’s inactives, meaning he’s set to make his professional debut.
Norman-Lott, a 2025 second-round pick, sat out of Week 1 with an ankle injury. He progressed well throughout this past week, being a full participant in every practice. He didn’t carry a game day injury designation, setting the scene for him to play.
Speaking to the media prior to Week 1, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo acknowledged what’s been a slow-burning process for Norman-Lott.
“Omarr is just kind of taking a little while to get going, you know?” Spagnuolo said. “He makes strides and then he gets an injury here, and that’s been a tough thing for him to get through. So, we’ll see where we’re at by [the] time we get to game time. But as we get going here in the course of the season, we’re going to rely on both of those guys.”
In two preseason contests, Norman-Lott played 43 defensive snaps. He logged a pair of pressures, per Pro Football Focus, with a 61.9 pass rush grade. The former Tennessee standout is viewed as a specialist for obvious passing situations. With that said, he has added some weight in recent months, which could lead to more of a run-down role.
Jawaan Taylor Put on Notice Ahead of Week 2 Matchup
There’s a lot riding on the line for the Chiefs as a team in Week 2. On an individual level, though, right tackle Jawaan Taylor is facing some pressure.
Taylor struggled in Kansas City’s opener, and penalties were once again the culprit. The 27-year-old has been plagued by infractions since arriving in town back in 2023. False starts and pre-snap alignment remain issues for the veteran bookend protector.
Earlier this week, offensive coordinator Matt Nagy didn’t sugarcoat the need for Taylor to improve.
“That can’t happen,” Nagy said. “We’ve made it loud and clear. Jawaan knows that. He understands it. It’s something that, especially in a moment like that in that game, when things are a little bit off kilter with the personnel and you start to move the ball and finally have some positive plays and then, boom, a penalty sets you back.”
The Chiefs have 20 million reasons to keep Taylor in the lineup. Read: Taylor is making $20M in guaranteed money this year. How he responds to a rough week will be telling. If he struggles again or his knee injury flares up, perhaps the team may consider going to Jaylon Moore.
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