Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs have suffered another blow to their receiving corps, with star player Rashee Rice suspended for six games and Xavier Worthy injured just three plays into their 2025 NFL campaign against the Los Angeles Chargers in Brazil.
Mahomes, a two-time MVP quarterback, attempted to connect with 2024 first-round pick Worthy on a third-down crossing route during the Chiefs’ opening possession.
However, Worthy collided heavily with tight end Travis Kelce as Mahomes’s pass came hurtling across the middle. He was immediately taken out of the game and into the locker room.
Initially reported as questionable to return due to a shoulder injury, he was downgraded to out by the second quarter.
Last season, Worthy caught 59 passes for 68 yards and six touchdowns after the Chiefs traded up in the 2024 NFL Draft to secure his services.
The Chiefs are not blessed with depth at the receiver position. The unit is led by former Baltimore Ravens star Hollywood Brown and also includes Juju Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton, and second-string tight end Noah Gray.
In the 2025 NFL Draft, the Chiefs picked Jalen Royals in the fourth round, hoping he would develop into an X-receiver. However, he missed Week 1 with knee tendinitis and didn’t make the trip to Brazil.
Last season, Kansas City GM Brett Veach responded to the team’s thin receiving corps midseason by trading for DeAndre Hopkins from the Arizona Cardinals.
Speaking at the team’s 2025 kickoff luncheon, Mahomes appeared confident about Kansas City’s attacking options. “We got guys everywhere that can make plays happen, and so we wanna still be surgical and we wanna still be great on third down, in the red zone, stuff like that, but we wanna bring the big play back, and we think we got the guys to do it,” he said.
Mahomes linked up with Thornton, a former second-round selection by the New England Patriots, for a 38-yard connection late in the second quarter on a drive that helped cut Kansas City’s deficit to 13-6.
Kelce didn’t enjoy his most productive season in 2024. The 35 year old hauled in 97 receptions for 823 yards and three touchdowns, with the latter two figures representing career lows.
Between 2016 and 2022, Kelce managed at least 1,100 receiving yards in each campaign. The 10-time Pro Bowler appears destined for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.