KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is bearing the burden of an injury suffered by wide receiver Xavier Worthy during Friday night’s season-opener in Brazil.
Worthy, a 5-foot-11, 165-pound wideout from Texas, was expected by many to play an integral role in the Chiefs offense with wide receiver Rashee Rice suspended for six games to start the season. Instead, three plays into the opener, Worthy suffered a dislocated shoulder after colliding with Kelce on a route.
The two skill players for the Chiefs were running a rub route in an attempt to free up Worthy. Instead, quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ pass fell incomplete with Worthy getting knocked to the ground.
“It kind of sounds like a broken record from last year’s record but that’s on us as leaders,” Kelce said of the Chiefs’ lack of energy and struggles in Week 1 during [Wednesday’s episode of the _New Heights Podcast_](https://youtu.be/Fb8Mm-Yggfc?si=yqu0Z-MR9GZPnKxv). “I wasn’t ready that first drive. I ran into one of my guys and offed him out of the game. I literally took one of my players out.”
While Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said earlier this week Worthy is rehabbing his shoulder and hoping to be able to return, the injury was similar to a critical injury the Chiefs dealt with last season. In Week 4 of the 2024 season, Rice suffered a season-ending knee injury when Mahomes dove to make a tackle and instead torpedoed into Rice’s right leg.
“That’s one of the most frustrating parts,” Kelce said of Worthy’s injury. “It’s tough to get your juices back going knowing you just hurt a guy. It’s frustrating, frustrating way to start off a season and a frustrating way to start off the game.”
Kelce’s brother Jason, asked Travis who is responsible for creating the collision.
“I’m supposed to be running my route at depth for Worthy,” Travis said. “So it’s frustrating for me. I was trying to set up my guy to be able to get in a position and it all just happened so quick. I’ve gotta be better, man. I’m 13 years in the league. There’s no excuse for me running into my own guys like that and being able to play fast and help him out.
“Worthy had his guy beat and we’re out of the gate and that game starts completely different. Instead, I’m not sure where he is exactly in terms of health-wise, but I’m hoping we get him back as fast as possible because he means so much to this team.”
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) walks on the sideline during an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers in Sao Paulo, Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. (Doug Benc/AP Content Services for the NFL)(Doug Benc | AP)
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With Worthy out, the Chiefs only scored 6 points in the first half. In the second half, thanks to some heroics from Mahomes and a 37-yard touchdown connection with Kelce, the Chiefs offense put up 15 points and made some encouraging progress in the 27-21 loss.
“You can take some good from that second half,” said Kelce, who finished with two receptions for 47 yards and the aforementioned score. “But at the end of the day we’ve got to be able to win up front, be accountable on the back end and be able to start fast and finish stronger.”
Kelce said whenever Worthy returns to the field, he can envision him taking over games, even admitting he was a critical part of Friday’s gameplan.
“I can see that guy and see how hard he works and I can see his game getting better,” Travis said, “and I know he’s going to take the league by storm when he gets back. He’s one of our best players and he’s going to take that step into being one of the best wide receivers in the National Football League.
“I run into him and all of a sudden one of the biggest pieces of the gameplan is out of the game... I owe him big time. I felt like s--- and could barely play the rest of that first half but we geared it up once I found out that he was in better spirits than I imagined at halftime.”
Kelce and the Chiefs will look to get their first win of the season Sunday at 3:25 p.m. in their home-opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.
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