The Kansas City Chiefs‘ 2025-26 season is off and running, albeit not to the best of starts. Early in their Week 1 game against the Los Angeles Chargers, one of their top pieces exited early.

Second-year wide receiver Xavier Worthy suffered an injury on Kansas City’s opening drive. It’s a shoulder ailment, per the team, which initially saw him get ruled questionable to return. He was later downgraded to out during the second quarter.

It was a very quick departure for a promising young player. Just three snaps into the action on offense, the Chiefs’ third-and-6 pass fell incomplete. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes couldn’t execute, which may have been at least partially due to Worthy’s injury.

The 2024 first-round pick collided with tight end Travis Kelce on what appeared to be a mesh concept. Worthy and the future Hall of Fame man didn’t create enough distance between themselves, resulting in a rough sequence and his subsequent departure.

By the time Kansas City took the field next, the in-game broadcast confirmed a shoulder injury. Worthy was said to be wincing in pain as he left the field. He went to the locker room for further evaluation shortly thereafter.

As a rookie, Worthy played in each of the Chiefs’ games. The former Texas standout hauled in 59 passes in year one, good for 638 yards and 6 touchdowns. He also toted the ball 20 times on the ground for 104 yards and another 3 scores. From Weeks 11-17, Worthy averaged 56 yards per game and emerged as a top target for Mahomes.

Super Bowl LIX’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, a 157-yard outing, served as Worthy’s crowning achievement. He amassed 19 catches for 287 yards and 3 scores across three postseason contests.

Ahead of the season, Worthy weighed in on the Chiefs’ confidence.

“I feel like things didn’t end how we wanted to last year and guys like Chris [Jones] said it well in the locker room, ‘How are we going to get better [and] how are you going to adapt and thrive off the situation?’” Worthy said. “‘Are you going to come back better, or are you going to come back still soggy or mad that you lost?’ A lot of guys in the offseason came back with a chip on their shoulder [and are] more conditioned and ready to work.”

To say the Chiefs would benefit from Worthy’s presence is an understatement. If the reigning AFC champions are to start this year hot, they absolutely need their most exciting young piece. The former No. 28 overall pick was already banged up in training camp but avoided significant injury then. His development remains critical, especially considering the rest of the wideout room.

For the first six weeks of the season, Kansas City is without veteran star receiver Rashee Rice. The 2022 second-round pick is suspended, leaving the team shorthanded. Not only that, but fourth-round rookie Jalen Royals is out with knee tendonitis. Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster are nice complementary pieces, sure, but not having a full assortment of piece is less than ideal.

All eyes now shift to the severity of Worthy’s injury.