Liftoff! Chiefs’ first-round WR Xavier Worthy scores two touchdowns in season-opening win

Trailing 7-0, the Chiefs scored their first point on Worthy’s first NFL touchdown. His 21-yard score put him over 18.45 mph as he gained +14 rushing yards above expectation, according to Next Gen Stats.

“It was crazy,” Worthy said of his first TD. “We ran like that in the preseason and I fumbled the ball. It was pretty bad, but they were able to have that confidence in me. I told (offensive coordinator Matt) Nagy I thought this play was going to score and it happened. So it was an unbelievable moment, my first NFL touchdown.”

Even though he only touched the ball three times, Worthy’s decisive presence has been and will be a boon to his teammates, according to his quarterback.

“Just having him on the field opens things up,” Mahomes said. “You’ve seen that when he’s on the field, they play shell coverages. It allows guys like (Travis Kelce) and guys like Rashee (Rice) to get underneath. That’s what’s great about this offense. We’re able to do all that and that’s where we’re at our best. So when we get Hollywood (Brown) on the field as well, it’s going to be tough for defenses to decide who they want to cover.”

Worthy’s final touch of the night was his second catch of the game and it gave the Chiefs the lead for good, as his 35-yard sprint down the field gave Kansas City a 27-17 advantage.

Kansas City was then able to withstand a rally led by Lamar Jackson and Isaiah Likely.

Mahomes and the Super Bowl champions now have a new weapon, and it took only a short time for him to make a significant impact.

Buoyed by a sensational debut from their first-round pick, the two-time defending Super Bowl champions are in great shape in 2024.