Chiefs Playmaker Unexpectedly Missing at Start of 2nd Practice
Update: Xavier Worthy was absent from practice on Monday due to an illness. Our original story follows below:
The march towards a third consecutive Super Bowl is officially underway after the Kansas City Chiefs began their training camp last week. The beginning of camp means that Chiefs fans have finally been able to catch a glimpse at the team's offseason additions, including 2024 first-round pick Xavier Worthy.
While some rookies take some time to adjust to the NFL setting, that hasn't been the case for the ex-Texas Longhorn. Worthy has already fostered chemistry with quarterback Patrick Mahomes, leading to the dynamic duo providing Kansas City's defense with headache after headache at practice.
Worthy has lived up to the draft hype thus far, which is why the latest news surrounding him to begin to week is worrying the Chiefs fanbase.
Chiefs News: Xavier Worthy Misses Monday's Practice
As the Chiefs took to the practice field Monday morning, ESPN's Adam Teicher reported that Worthy was absent from the session. The concerning update comes less than 24 hours after head coach Andy Reid deemed the 21-year-old playmaker to be the "best receiver in his class"
Unfortunately, Teicher didn't give the reason behind Teicher's absence. Hopefully, the Chiefs coaching staff will have a more concrete update following practice.
Worthy has been battling the injury bug throughout his first NFL offseason. He missed time during Kansas City's offseason team activities and rookie minicamp due to a nagging hamstring issue. The Fresno, CA native also injured his pinky finger on a catch during practice last week, however, he pushed through the pain and didn't miss a beat.
Hopefully, Worthy's latest absence is only precautionary and he won't miss any significant time. The two-time All-Big 12 playmaker could have a bright future with the Chiefs after racking up 2,755 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns on 197 receptions across three seasons with the Longhorns.
The Chiefs roster a plethora of talented pass-catchers — from Marquise Brown to Travis Kelce and everyone in between — but none boast upside that's comparable to Worthy.
But regardless of how the rest of his training camp goes, oddsmakers are expecting big things from the first-year wideout. FanDuel Sportsbook currently lists Worthy as being tied for the fifth-best odds to be named the 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (+1700).
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