Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and several rookies reported to training camp as Kansas City sets the course for a bid at history.
Mahomes and the Chiefs are chasing a Super Bowl three-peat and clocked in for the 2024 season well before the official start of Kansas City’s training camp at Missouri Western in St. Joseph, Mo.
Mahomes and the other quarterbacks on the roster know the benefit of getting extra reps with rookies and newcomers, including wide receivers like first-round pick Xavier Worthy and free-agent addition Marquise “Hollywood” Brown.
Worthy could be cast for a bigger role with second-year receiver Rashee Rice facing potential off-field punishment from the NFL for his offseason arrest for street racing and leaving the scene of a wreck in Texas. Police alleged in a warrant stemming from the March 30 crash that Rice was driving in excess of 115 mph and the 23-year-old was behind the wheel of a Lamborghini when he hit the median wall and “caused a chain reaction collision involving four other vehicles.”
Already a faster runner than former Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill, at least on the stopwatch, Worthy ran a record-breaking 4.21-second 40-yard dash at the combine. Hill was timed at 4.29 seconds during his 2016 pro day. Worthy now is rapidly acclimating into an offense focused on spreading around the ball.
“There’s no easing,” Mahomes said of expectations for Worthy. “He’s going to have to be ready to go. We got a lot of competition on this offense. He got a lot of mental work in these last few weeks that he had during OTAs and minicamp, but it’s time to go now. Y’all saw it with Rashee last year and some of the throwing-up days he had. We’re going to push you to the limit and prepare yourself to be ready to go for the season. That’s not just (Worthy). That’s everybody and everybody has to have that mentality when they come into camp.”
Worthy was limited to “mental reps” in OTAs because of a hamstring injury. But head coach Andy Reid said the injury isn’t a factor now and declared Worthy ready to go.
“It was driving him crazy to have to watch,” Reid said of Worthy, the No. 28 pick in the draft. “You don’t want to be the No. 1 pick, come in and be sitting on the bench and watching. He’s a competitive kid that wants to be in there, and we’re gonna get him going.”
Worthy, 21, had his most complete college season as a junior at Texas in 2023, catching 75 passes for 1,014 yards and five touchdowns. He had 26 career touchdown receptions in 39 games and averaged 14.0 yards per catch for the Longhorns.
General manager Brett Veach said Worthy was targeted by the Chiefs for his scoring production and special-teams value. Kansas City moved up 38 spots in a trade with the Buffalo Bills to make the pick. Now it’s up to Worthy to prove Veach right.
“It’s all go. Once you’re here, you’re here,” Worthy said. “I understand definitely what Pat’s saying, and just to build that connection with him is going to be key here.”
