Patrick Mahomes couldn’t have asked for a better start to his quest for a three-peat with the Kansas City Chiefs, with rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy showing he might be a reliable target during the 2024 NFL season.
The first-round pick had a sensational NFL debut, scoring two touchdowns in just three touches to help the Chiefs beat the Baltimore Ravens in the season opener. Worthy ran for a 21-yard touchdown in his first touch in the first quarter, before catching a 35-yard TD in the fourth quarter.
Needless to say, the 21-year-old’s first start is giving Chiefs Kingdom plenty of reasons for optimism moving forward. Even Mahomes had nothing but praise for Worthy, though he made it clear they’ll expect even more from the rookie.
“I think it’s just going to be a spark,” Mahomes told reporters on Wednesday, via ProFootballTalk. “It shows what he can do. Obviously, it showed his speed. It showed how he’s able to run routes and find open spaces. It just kind of gives him that confidence. I think he already had it anyways, but to show that he can do it on Sundays or whatever day of the week that we’re playing.“
Xavier Worthy #1 of the Kansas City Chiefs runs to score a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens during the first quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on September 05, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Mahomes let everyone know that, while Worthy really stepped up in his debut, the Chiefs consider this is only the beginning for the Texas product: “It’s just kind of a start for him. We want him to keep building. We want to get him more and more involved in the offense, but a great start.”
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The Chiefs traded up in the 2024 NFL Draft to get Worthy with the 28th overall pick in the first round. His fantastic debut seems to be a sign that Kansas City made the right decision to improve a position that needed an upgrade.
The wide receiver room from 2023 left a lot to be desired last season, with only Rashee Rice proving to be a dependable weapon for Mahomes in his rookie year. Now, Worthy aims to follow in Rice’s footsteps by playing a big role in his very first NFL season with the Chiefs.
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Speaking to the media on Wednesday, the California native reflected on his impactful performance against the Ravens, claiming he already feels familiar with the Chiefs’ scheme: “I feel like the offseason with the injury, it kind of helped me understand the playbook a little more.“
Worthy, however, will probably make Mahomes proud by echoing the quarterback’s sentiments that he still has a long way to go. While he looked happy with his level, the wideout made it clear he’s already thinking about what’s next.
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“I feel like a lot of things that I kind of focused on was understanding the defense, and I feel like I did that,” said Worthy. “So I want to carry that over to this week and every other week. Just understand the defense is knowing what they’re going to do before and pre-snap.”
