Two days ago, Patrick Mahomes threw a 60-yard touchdown pass to Chiefs rookie Xavier Worthy, which impressed many. However, just hours later, the #28 Draft pick unfortunately missed a day of training camp practice. What happened to Worthy in such a short period? Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid detailed the nature of the #1 Wide Receiver’s injury in his press conference.
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Speaking to reporters, Reid confirmed Worthy was “not ready to play” because he was “ill.” Adding further, he outlined that the California native is “getting better”, thereby hinting at a quick recovery timeline. Meanwhile, Matt Derrick of the Chiefs Digest reported the exact details of Worthy’s injury.
According to Derrick, the 21-year-old Worthy has strep throat, so it’s not an injury that the team needs to worry about. However, it resulted in the Chiefs deciding to keep him isolated from his teammates. In addition to Worthy, Andy Reid’s men missed their cornerback, Kelvin Joseph, who was absent because of personal reasons.
Earlier, Worthy missed most of the Chiefs’ off-season practice with a sore hamstring.
In February, during the NFL Scouting combine, Worthy made a telling statement by clocking a 4:21 second dash time, and it played a key role in his entry to the Chiefs. Primarily, the Arrowhead-based team is looking at him like a Tyreek Hill candidate, who can catch the ball, and increase the overall speed of the offense.
Thus, considering how the Chiefs offense failed to impress last season, Worthy’s fitness is a priority for Mahomes and Co. despite their alternative options. Meanwhile, what is the injury status of the remaining Chiefs players?
Kansas City Chiefs Injury List
In addition to Xavier Worthy, the Chiefs have been dealing with six minor injury issues. Of the six, left guard Joe Thuney (pectoral) and Charles Omenihu were absent on Tuesday, and head Coach Andy Reid didn’t offer an update about their present injury status.
Meanwhile, Jaylen Watson (labrum), Justin Reid (quad), Derrick Nnadi (triceps), and BJ Thompson were present, though not fully active. They worked with their trainers on the sideline. Despite the large number, the Chiefs don’t have too much to worry about, as they were absent on a precautionary basis.
However, there is one aspect of Worthy that could become a headache for the Chiefs. It is the consistent manner in which the injuries have taken place in the last 2 months. At present, they prefer following a wait-and-watch policy, giving the rookie the benefit of time.
