Chiefs rule out WR Xavier Worthy for Week 2 after collision with Travis Kelce
Worthy dislocated his right shoulder in Kansas City’s season opener and will miss Sunday’s Super Bowl rematch with the Eagles
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy will not play in Week 2’s Super Bowl rematch against the Philadelphia Eagles after suffering a dislocated right shoulder in the team’s season-opening loss, the Chiefs announced. Worthy sustained the injury during a first-quarter collision with teammate Travis Kelce while both were running crossing routes in the Sept. 5 game in Brazil.
The injury occurred in the Chiefs’ loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Worthy returned to practice this week and head coach Andy Reid had told reporters the receiver had a “slim” chance to play against the Eagles, but the team said he will be unavailable for Sunday’s game.
Kelce addressed the collision on his “New Heights” podcast, saying he felt responsible for the injury and apologizing to his teammate. “I felt like s--t,” Kelce said. “I’ll take the most accountability myself. I wasn’t ready for that first drive, I ran into one of my guys and offed him out of the game. I literally took one of my players out. That’s one of the most frustrating parts and it’s hard to get your juices back going knowing you just hurt a guy.”
Kelce added that he expected to be running a route that would set up Worthy and that the contact happened quickly. “I just gotta be better, man. I’m 13 years in the league. There is no excuse [for me] running into my own guys like that,” he said.
Worthy, the 28th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, played a significant role as a rookie, finishing the regular season with 59 receptions for 638 yards and six receiving touchdowns, along with three rushing scores in 17 games. He added three more touchdowns during Kansas City’s run to the Super Bowl, including two against Philadelphia in the postseason.
The loss of Worthy further depletes Kansas City’s receiving corps; star wideout Rashee Rice is serving a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy related to his role in a 2024 multi-car crash in Texas. Rice’s absence and Worthy’s unavailability limit the Chiefs’ options at receiver as they prepare to face an Eagles team seeking to avenge last season’s Super Bowl defeat.
Reid had described Worthy’s chances of playing as “slim” after the receiver returned to practice, but the team’s updated status confirms a continued recovery process from the shoulder injury. The Chiefs did not immediately provide a timeline for Worthy’s return beyond ruling him out for Sunday.
Kansas City’s offense will enter the rematch with Philadelphia without two of its key young pass catchers. The team’s medical and coaching staffs will continue to monitor Worthy’s progress in the coming weeks as it evaluates depth and personnel options for the remainder of the early season schedule.
The Chiefs and Eagles are scheduled to meet Sunday in a highly anticipated matchup that doubles as a postseason rematch. The Eagles, who defeated Kansas City in last season’s Super Bowl, opened their season with a different roster and are expected to face a Chiefs squad that will have to adjust game plans to account for the absence of Worthy and the ongoing suspension of Rice.