Xavier Worthy Suffers Dislocated Shoulder After Collision With Travis Kelce in Chiefs' Season Opener
Second-year receiver injured in 27-21 loss to Chargers; team awaiting tests and second opinion as wide receiver depth is tested
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy dislocated his right shoulder in the season-opener loss to the Los Angeles Chargers and is undergoing further testing, NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport said Sunday.
Worthy, a second-year speedster who played three snaps in the game, was knocked to the turf after colliding with teammate Travis Kelce on an underneath route and did not return. Rapoport reported that Worthy is seeking a second opinion, is expected to wear a brace and could return this season, though the timetable remains unclear and surgery has not been ruled out.
The injury compounds early-season depth issues for Kansas City. Wide receiver Rashee Rice is serving a six-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy and will not be eligible to return until Week 7. Rice pleaded guilty last year to charges stemming from a high-speed hit-and-run collision on a Dallas highway in March 2024. The Chiefs also saw rosterwide receiver ailments last season: Rice tore his ACL in Week 4, and Marquise “Hollywood” Brown suffered a sternoclavicular joint dislocation during the preseason and did not return until late in the year.
Against the Chargers in Brazil, Brown produced a long touchdown and finished with a 99-yard night, while JuJu Smith-Schuster had five catches for 55 yards. Kelce added 47 yards and a touchdown, but the Chiefs fell 27-21. The loss and Worthy’s injury leave Kansas City relying on Brown, Smith-Schuster and Kelce to shoulder much of the passing-game load while the team evaluates Worthy’s condition.
Worthy, listed at 165 pounds, has been a deep-threat option since being drafted and was expected to add speed to the Chiefs’ receiver corps with Rice unavailable. The team did not immediately provide a detailed timetable for his return. Coaches and medical staff will determine whether conservative treatment with a brace or surgical intervention is necessary after the pending evaluations.
Kansas City returns to the field this weekend against the Philadelphia Eagles, seeking to regroup after the opener and address the sudden depletion of its receiving depth. The club’s injury report and official updates on Worthy’s status are expected in the coming days as tests and any second opinions are completed.