Kansas City Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy sees Cyrus Allen repeating his mistakes — and he’s better-suited to help the rookie overcome them
Kansas City Chiefs third-year receiver Xavier Worthy shared his first impressions of rookie WR Cyrus Allen. He revealed that Andy Reid is getting after him for the same things he got after Worthy for when he was younger. In the end, it’s an opportunity for No. 1 to grow as a mentor.
The Kansas City Chiefs are hoping to get a lot more out of their wide receiver room during the 2026 NFL season than they did just a year ago.
They didn’t make any outlandish offseason additions. The room mostly features the same faces that it did a season ago. They’re betting that Chad O’Shea’s coaching will be the great equalizer for a group that has underachieved over the past few seasons.
Third-year Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy will be a big part of that, not just on the field, but as a mentor in the room. He’ll be tasked with setting a positive example for players like fifth-round rookie WR Cyrus Allen. In fact, Worthy just imparted some sage wisdom on the rookie in a public setting.
Cyrus Allen Quick Stats & Facts
A 5th-round pick (No. 176 overall) by the Chiefs out of Cincinnati.
- Listed at 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds.
- 2025: 13 touchdowns and 13.2 yards per catch at Cincinnati.
Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy sees Cyrus Allen going through the same growing pains he once did
On Thursday, Worthy was asked about his first impression of Allen. He connected his own early-career growing pains to what Andy Reid is now correcting in the 2026 fifth-round draft pick.
“Cyrus, he’s an electric route runner,” Worthy said. “I mean, obviously you guys could see it, he has an explosion, obviously good ball skills, and he’s a smart player. (He) just does a lot of the same things that Coach (Andy) Reid was getting on me about when I was younger.”
The irony of Worthy still being a few months younger than Allen is not lost on me. However, Worthy has two years in an NFL system and knows the challenges.
Allen has everything you’d want out of a young player: Route variance, explosive speed, smarts, and good ball skills. Yet, just like every rookie, he needs to adjust his style to the NFL game. What does that exactly mean? Doing everything with a bit more urgency.
“Obviously, just taking too long on your routes,” Worthy said. “You know, just little things. But I mean, Cyrus definitely has a special ability to him. I think he’s gonna be a special player.”
While Worthy still awaits his own breakout, he is uniquely positioned to help Allen get past this and reach his ceiling. Worthy knows all too well that route timing can be the difference between a touchdown grab and an incomplete pass. If they can both clear the bar, it’ll help the wide receiver room reach the heights they’re aiming for during the 2026 NFL season.