Xavier Worthy of the Kansas City Chiefs runs down the field during an NFL preseason football game … [+]
On the very first play of the very first preseason game for the Kansas City Chiefs, rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy was the first read.
Worthy went into motion, but the Jacksonville Jaguars defense switched to Cover One, and quarterback Patrick Mahomes opted to throw to Marquise “Hollywood” Brown instead, and the free-agent acquisition caught an 11-yard pass.
It would be Brown’s only play of the game — and the preseason — because he suffered a sternoclavicular posterior dislocation.
“Obviously, he’s a key to our offense,” Worthy said.
Now it will be Worthy who likely has to replace Brown as the Chiefs’ main downfield threat early in the season.
Brown ran a 4.27 in the 40 at his Oklahoma Pro Day, and Worthy, of course, famously set the NFL Combine record with a 4.21 in the 40-yard dash.
The Chiefs traded up to draft Worthy in the first round of the draft and signed Brown to a one-year, $7 million contract with the hope that the two speedsters could bring back the deep passing game that has been missing since they traded away Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins.
Coincidentally, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid equated the shoulder injury Brown suffered to one Hill also did in Jacksonville in Week One of the 2019 season.
The good news is Hill missed just four games, and the Chiefs went on to win Super Bowl LIV. With the start of the 2024 regular season almost a month away, that almost certainly means Brown will be back for the majority of the season.
Even more good news is that doctors put Brown’s joint back in place without requiring surgery.
Worthy, who praised Brown as a mentor, checked on him after he hurt his shoulder.
“He’s in pretty good spirits,” Brown said. “He’s just looking to come back and get back ready to work.”
Before Brown is back at work, it’s up to Worthy to step up as a deep threat.
Making his role even more significant is that Rashee Rice, who led all Chiefs wide receivers in yards last year and has been working on becoming more of a vertical threat, has an uncertain status following his charges on one count of aggravated assault, one count of collision involving serious bodily injury and six counts of collision involving injuries from a high-speed, hit-and-run crash in March.
Rice repeatedly told the media last week: “It’s still a legal process, and my team is handling that.”
Two other receivers from last season — Kadarius Toney and Justin Watson — have been limited throughout camp due to injuries.
Even though Worthy’s role has been pushed to the forefront, the rookie said that doesn’t change his outlook.
“My mindset is to be the best regardless,” he said.
Worthy played just five snaps in the Chiefs’ 26-13 loss to the Jaguars as the starting offense only played one drive, which resulted in a field goal.
But come the regular season, he’ll have to play an integral offensive role — at least until Brown returns.
“He’s gonna be back,” Reid said. “But we’ve got other guys who can step in there and play.”
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