Kansas City Chiefs rookie WR Xavier Worthy not participating in practice at OTAs on Wednesday

As media members got their first look at the 90-man offseason roster at Organized Team Activities (OTAs) on Wednesday, first-round draft pick Xavier Worthy was spotted without a helmet on the sidelines as a non-participant in practice. KSHB-TV's Aaron Ladd and FOX 4 Kansas City's Harold R. Kuntz both shared some video of Worthy on […]

Charles Goldman NFL Managing Editor
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Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy on the sidelines at practice.
KSHB-TV / Aaron Ladd

As media members got their first look at the 90-man offseason roster at Organized Team Activities (OTAs) on Wednesday, first-round draft pick Xavier Worthy was spotted without a helmet on the sidelines as a non-participant in practice.

KSHB-TV's Aaron Ladd and FOX 4 Kansas City's Harold R. Kuntz both shared some video of Worthy on the sideline during the portion of practice open to the media. He stood and watched his teammates while anxiously fiddling with a football on the sideline.

It's worth noting that Worthy was a full participant during the team's rookie minicamp practices earlier this month. The team also had two practices earlier this week that were closed to media members, so it's entirely possible that he suffered a minor injury during one of those practice sessions. It's not uncommon for rookies to run into soft tissue injuries upon returning to football after exclusively training for NFL combine testing.

While Worhy remains the team's only unsigned draft pick, it's unlikely his absence from practice has anything to do with his contract status. Draft picks have built-in injury protections even when they haven't formally agreed to a contract.

The Chiefs moved up in the 2024 NFL draft with the Buffalo Bills to select Worthy at No. 28 overall. The rookie set an NFL Scouting Combine record with his blazing-fast 4.21s 40-yard dash time. At the University of Texas, he appeared in 39 career games, recording 2,755 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns in just three seasons with the Longhorns.

Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes confirm suspicions about Xavier Worthy's absence

Andy Reid confirmed on Wednesday following practice that Worthy suffered a hamstring injury earlier in the practice week. It's believed to be a minor injury that won't cause long-term issues, but the team is acting cautiously to keep it that way. Patrick Mahomes confirmed our suspicions that NFL combine training was the likely culprit behind this soft tissue injury.