The Kansas City Chiefs suffered a 27-21 loss at the hands of the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 1, and while the loss itself was bad enough, the team also lost star wide receiver Xavier Worthy on their first offensive drive of the game. Worthy collided with tight end Travis Kelce while trying to get open for Patrick Mahomes, and he ended up being forced out of the game with a shoulder injury.
Given Worthy’s importance to the Chiefs’ wide receiver room, especially during Rashee Rice’s ongoing six-game suspension, fans have been keeping a close eye on his status over the past few days. On Wednesday, head coach Andy Reid provided an update on Worthy that will surely make Kansas City fans happy.
Andy Reid Provides Xavier Worthy Injury Update
The Chiefs selected Worthy with the No. 28 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and as the year went on, his role within the team’s offense grew, largely due to necessity. With Rice and Marquise Brown both dealing with long-term injuries, Worthy had to learn on the fly, and he ended up proving that he could become the top option in Kansas City’s offense.
Worthy finished the regular season with 59 catches for 638 yards and nine total touchdowns, but he really shined in the playoffs. In the Chiefs’ three postseason contests, Worthy caught 19 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns, with his performance in Super Bowl LIX (eight receptions, 157 yards, two touchdowns) being arguably the only bright spot from the game for K.C.
The hope was that Worthy could build off of his strong playoff performances from last year, but his sudden shoulder injury threw a wrench in those plans. Thankfully, it doesn’t sound like Worthy is going to be sidelined for an extended period of time, as Reid revealed that the speedy pass catcher is not going to undergo surgery on the injury and that he also won’t require a stint on injured reserve.
“Chiefs coach Andy Reid says WR Xavier Worthy continues to rehab,” Jesse Newell of The Athletic shared in a post on X. “He won’t practice today. Surgery and a potential IR stint are not being considered at this time.”
Chiefs May Have Dodged a Bullet with Xavier Worthy’s Injury
GettyThere’s new context for Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy’s shoulder injury.
Anytime a player is forced out of a game and is unable to return, it’s reasonable to be concerned about their status. However, Worthy is going to do what he can to get himself back on the field as soon as possible, and with surgery not being in the cards for the time being, that will aid his chances of making a quick return.
Considering how he didn’t practice on Wednesday, it seems like Worthy is trending towards not playing in Week 2, which would be a big blow for the Chiefs since they will be taking on the Philadelphia Eagles. The goal is to have Worthy on the field for the majority of the season, rather than rushing him back for this big game. Worthy’s status will be worth keeping tabs on, and while he may not play on Sunday, it doesn’t seem like the team is expecting him to miss much time.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Chiefs HC Andy Reid Drops Good News on Injured WR Xavier Worthy appeared first on Heavy Sports.