Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce recently shared insights on the “frustrating” play during the Chiefs' loss to the Chargers, which involved a collision with wide receiver Xavier Worthy. This incident occurred during a recent episode of the “New Heights” podcast, where Kelce reflected on the impact of the play. "I’m supposed to be running my route at depth for Worthy,” Kelce explained. “I was trying to kind of set up my guy to be able to get into position, and it all just happened pretty quick. I just got to be better, man. I’m 13 years in the league, there’s no excuse for me running into my own guys like that.”
Kelce further emphasized that Worthy “had his guy beat,” suggesting that the game could have taken a significantly different trajectory had the collision not occurred. Unfortunately, shortly after the incident, Worthy was ruled out with a right shoulder injury. The Chiefs ultimately fell to the Chargers 27-21 in a match played in Brazil, never having led during the game.
“(Worthy’s) one of our best players,” Kelce stated, highlighting Worthy's potential to become one of the premier receivers in the National Football League. “I run into him and all of a sudden one of the biggest pieces of the game plan is out of the game,” he added. Worthy's speed is a crucial asset, and Kelce noted that with Worthy sidelined, the Chargers were relieved of a significant threat.
In related news, Chiefs' head coach Andy Reid provided an update on Worthy's condition on Wednesday. He confirmed that neither surgery nor placement on injured reserve—which would keep Worthy out for a minimum of four weeks—are currently being considered. Reid mentioned that Worthy would not participate in practice on Wednesday and that his status remains day-to-day. “Those two won’t practice today,” Reid noted, referring to both Worthy and rookie wide receiver Jalen Royals. “Both are doing better. They’re working on it and making progress, but not ready to go today for sure.”
Earlier in the week, Reid addressed the injury concerns surrounding Worthy, stating, “As far as injuries go, I know Xavier’s (Worthy) the big question, and he’s rehabbing and working his shoulder. We’ll just see where it goes.” Worthy was the Chiefs’ leading receiver last year as a rookie and entered the current season as the team's top option, especially with Rashee Rice serving a six-game suspension due to a high-speed crash that occurred in March 2024.
Kelce expressed his regret over the incident, stating that he owes Worthy “big time” and admitted that he could “barely even f—ing play the rest of that first half.” He remarked, “I literally took one of my players out. That’s one of the most frustrating parts, and it’s hard to get your juices back going knowing you just hurt a guy.” Kelce acknowledged the disappointment of starting the season and the game in such a manner, while emphasizing the need for the team to improve its performance moving forward. “You can take some good from that second half, but at the end of the day, man, we just got to be able to win up front, be accountable on the back end and be able to start fast and finish stronger,” he concluded.
As the Chiefs prepare for their upcoming matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles this Sunday, fans are hopeful for a strong performance in this rematch of Super Bowl LIX.
