Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs could be short-handed — and without a Super Bowl LIX standout — when the Eagles visit Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday.
Chiefs wide receivers Xavier Worthy and Jalen Royals are not expected to practice on Wednesday, head coach Andy Reid told reporters in Kansas City.
Reid said both injured receivers are “doing better and making progress.” More specifically on Worthy, Reid said: “He’s just rehabbing.”
Worthy and Royals’ status being in doubt for Sunday’s high-profile game against the Eagles was expected. But not having to face either would be an advantage for Philadelphia’s defense.
Worthy suffered a dislocated shoulder in the Chiefs’ loss to the Chargers, coming up injured after Travis Kelce collided with him on a crossing route.
Royals is still recovering from a knee injury suffered in the preseason that kept him out of last Friday’s opener.
Royals, a fourth-round rookie out of Utah State, is a promising player. But Worthy is a proven commodity and a top target for Mahomes — especially with talented receiver Rashee Rice serving a six-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.
Worthy, a 2024 first-round pick out of Texas, had a productive rookie campaign. The speedster had 59 catches for 638 yards and six touchdowns in the regular season.
Eagles fans will remember Worthy in Super Bowl LIX. He had eight catches for 157 yards and two touchdowns, setting an NFL record for the most receiving yards by a rookie in a Super Bowl. But all of Worthy’s work was done in garbage time. His first touchdown came when the Eagles were up 34-0. His second score made the final tally a palatable 40-22.
But the Super Bowl is behind the Eagles; that’s something they’ve emphasized all offseason. Worthy is a dangerous player — and without him, the Chiefs would be much easier to defend on Sunday.
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