Chiefs fans woke up to troubling news on Saturday morning. It was reported that promising wide receiver Xavier Worthy was arrested and charged with assault against a family or household member by impeding their breathing or circulation.
While we await more details about the incident, the Kansas City Chiefs provided an initial statement. Per NFL insider Tom Pelissero, the Chiefs said, "We are aware and gathering information."
From the #Chiefs: “We are aware and gathering information” https://t.co/SW8n0z2I2h
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 8, 2025
Chiefs Make First Statement on Xavier Worthy Arrest
Considering how fresh the incident is, this is an understandable response by the organization. They presumably just found out about the incident themselves and are looking to get as much information as possible before sharing details with the public.
Once the criminal proceedings begin, we will get more details about the incident. The legal proceedings are obviously more important here, but how the Chiefs will respond to these troubling charges remains to be seen.
The Chiefs and the NFL both have the right to suspend a player regardless of where the criminal case goes. The league has previously suspended players under the Personal Conduct Policy. However, Worthy could be dealing with a bigger issue considering the offense is punishable with a sentence of two to ten years of jail time, per Yahoo! Sports' Sean Leahy.
Kansas City is no stranger to dealing with the legal and criminal troubles of its players. They have shown a lot of tolerance for off-field issues over the years. Whether they continue that approach with Worthy will be worth watching.