Less than a month ago, Xavier Worthy's future was looking bright. The rookie wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs may not have won a Super Bowl ring, but he was responsible for two of the team's three touchdowns in their Super Bowl LIX face-off against the Philadelphia Eagles. Now, the 21-year-old could be facing up to 10 years in prison.
On Friday night, Worthy was arrested in Georgetown, Texas, on a third-degree felony assault charge for allegedly choking a family or household member, according to the Associated Press. If found guilty, the charge carries a fine of up to $100,000 and two to 10 years in prison.
Related: Chiefs Spark Strong Reaction With Unfortunate Scheduled Message
A spokesperson for the Chiefs issued a brief statement, per NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero, that they are "aware" of the situation and currently "gathering information."
From the #Chiefs: "We are aware and gathering information" https://t.co/SW8n0z2I2h
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 8, 2025
Chip Lewis and Sam Bassett, Worthy's attorneys, had much more to say on the matter. In an official statement, the pair confirmed that they are "aware of the allegations that led to Mr. Worthy's arrest" and are working with authorities "to ensure that they have the benefit of the totality of circumstances that led to this allegation."
Without naming names, Lewis and Bassett seem to be suggesting that the alleged victim in the incident could also be the aggressor. And that the ordeal arose from an act of infidelity:
"The complainant was asked multiple times over the last two weeks to vacate Mr. Worthy's residence upon discovery of her infidelity, which a private investigator has video evidence of. She has refused to vacate the residence and made a number of extortive efforts prior to resorting to this baseless allegation against Mr. Worthy. The complainant further destroyed a room in the residence, scratched Mr. Worthy's face and ripped out parts of his hair, which there is photographic evidence of. Mr. Worthy told law enforcement at the time of the incident he did not want to press charges against the complainant."
As of last month, Worthy was engaged to Adidas-backed track star Tia Jones.
Statement from Xavier Worthy's attorneys, Chip Lewis and Sam Bassett: https://t.co/PsBox8VZwYpic.twitter.com/4MTVkQVXRb
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 8, 2025
On Saturday morning, as news of Worthy's arrest was spreading, an unfortunately timed (and pre-scheduled) tweet from the Chiefs asking fans to celebrate International Women's Day with them posted-and sparked backlash.
In another case of poor timing, ESPN ran a story titled "Chiefs setting higher expectations for WR Xavier Worthy in Year 2." In it, coach Andy Reid is quoted as saying: "We learned Xavier is more than a deep threat. He also has the ability to do that and we probably could have tapped into that even more. I'm not sure we've tapped that out. I think there's more, and that's exciting."
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This story was originally published March 8, 2025 at 11:44 AM.