Travis Kelce says he 'felt like s---' after colliding with teammate Xavier Worthy
Chiefs tight end took responsibility for a play that dislocated Worthy's shoulder in Kansas City's loss in São Paulo and credited teammates for stepping up as Worthy's status remains uncertain
Travis Kelce said he felt “like s---” after colliding with and injuring teammate Xavier Worthy on the third play of the Kansas City Chiefs’ 27-21 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in São Paulo, Brazil.
Kelce, speaking on his "New Heights" podcast, said he took "the most accountability" for the play that left Worthy with a dislocated shoulder and forced the wide receiver out of the game. Kelce described struggling to play after the collision before learning at halftime that Worthy was in better spirits than he initially feared.
"I owe my guy big time, man. X knows it. I felt like s---, I could barely even f------ play the rest of that first half but we geared it up once I found out that he was, you know, in better spirits than I imagined in halftime," Kelce said. He said the collision occurred while he was running a route intended to create space for Worthy and that he was to blame for taking one of his teammates out of the contest early.
"I wasn’t ready that first drive, I ran into one of my guys and offed him out of the game," Kelce said. "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. It’s just … it’s a frustrating, frustrating, way to start off the season, frustrating way to start off the game."
Worthy, who the Chiefs view as a rising speed threat, had his assignment beaten on the play, Kelce said, and the loss of the receiver removed what the tight end called one of the "biggest pieces" of Kansas City's game plan. Kelce said he hoped Worthy would return as soon as possible and praised fellow receivers for filling the void.
Kelce credited Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, Tyquan Thornton and JuJu Smith-Schuster with stepping up in Worthy’s absence. The four-time All-Pro said the team leadership fell short at the outset and that he had to own his part in the error.
The collision and ensuing injury occurred on the game's third play and had an immediate impact on Kansas City's attack as the Chiefs ultimately fell to the Chargers. It was not clear after the game whether Worthy would be available for Kansas City's next matchup, a season rematch against the Philadelphia Eagles scheduled for Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX.
Kelce, 35, a 10-time Pro Bowler, made repeated reference to his experience in the league while acknowledging there was no excuse for the collision. His remarks on the podcast underscored both personal remorse and concern about the tactical consequences of losing a speed receiver early in the opener.
The Chiefs have not provided a detailed injury timeline for Worthy, and team officials have not announced a definitive prognosis. Kelce’s comments provided the most substantive public account from inside the locker room about the incident and the emotional toll it took on teammates and the team’s early-season preparations.