How Chiefs’ Xavier Worthy called his shot on first NFL TD: ‘Just an amazing moment’

Kansas City Chiefs receiver Xavier Worthy was at the team walk-through Thursday morning when offensive coordinator Matt Nagy spoke about the plan to get him a running play.

Worthy, the team’s rookie first-round pick, made a prediction right then.

“I told Coach Nagy, ‘I think this play is gonna score,’ and it happened,” Worthy said with a smile after the Chiefs’ 27-20 victory Thursday. “So it’s just an amazing moment.”

Worthy’s first-quarter end-around went for a 21-yard rushing touchdown, showcasing his dynamic ability on the first drive of his NFL career.

According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Worthy had a 4% chance of scoring on that touch based on the position of all 22 players on the field when he received the handoff.

“That’s another rookie out there, and he da man,” Chiefs left tackle Kingsley Suamataia said in front of his locker after the game. “Fastest dude in the NFL.”

Worthy — known for setting the NFL Combine 40-yard dash record in March — was an asset for the Chiefs all over against the Ravens in Thursday’s home opener.

And perhaps the most impressive part of Worthy’s night? He started and remained out there for as long as he did.

Historically, coach Andy Reid’s playbook has been difficult for young receivers to pick up right away. Worthy also missed offseason Organized Team Activities and mandatory minicamp with a hamstring injury, which cost him valuable reps.

Yet there he was Thursday, serving as one of the team’s top weapons while fellow wideout Hollywood Brown was out because of a shoulder injury.

“He goes out there and makes plays,” Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said of Worthy. “Obviously, we’re going to continue to use him more and more. But I thought he had a great day today, making big plays in big moments.”

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That continued in the second half, when Worthy broke free down the sideline to catch a 35-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Worthy was a hot read on the play — meaning Mahomes could throw to him if he liked the specific matchup — but quickly became the go-to option when the Ravens blew the coverage on the back end.

“Marlon Humphrey (Ravens cornerback) just kind of let me go. I was like, ‘Oh, I think he’s gonna throw this,’” Worthy said. “I just turned around, and he hit me right in the hole. It was just a walk-in.”

Reid went through a list of compliments for Worthy after watching his first NFL game, saying he had good hands and was both smart and competitive.

As for Worthy’s first outing overall?

“That was beautiful,” Reid said.

Chiefs coaches have repeatedly praised Worthy the last few months for his football intelligence and quick understanding of concepts. That even began at his formal interview with KC at the NFL Combine, when the Texas receiver wowed Chiefs coaches during their 18-minute meeting.

Worthy said his preparation was part of why he didn’t feel that nervous ahead of the game. He believes if he works hard and puts in the work to study, the result should take care of itself.

His intense research, in fact, also led him to have a few extra seconds of end-zone dancing Thursday.

After Worthy’s first touchdown, Mahomes quickly rushed behind him to secure the football as a future keepsake.

Worthy — he was grooving with his receiver teammates — said he dropped the ball and was not too concerned about where it ended up.

Mahomes was going to have his back in tracking it down.

“I knew Pat was going to do that,” Worthy said with a laugh, “watching (Chiefs rookie touchdowns) in the past.”

The run served as some redemption for Worthy, who fumbled in the preseason when he got the ball on that same play-call.

This time he secured it, rewarding the coaches’ faith in him by following through on his premonition.

“A lot of people just don’t come into an NFL game and start, much less score a touchdown,” Worthy said. “Just taking my blessings, one by one.”