Kansas City Chiefs’ rookie first-round pick, Xavier Worthy, made an electrifying debut Thursday night, scoring two touchdowns to lead the Chiefs to a 27-20 win over the Baltimore Ravens in the 2024 NFL Kickoff Game.Xavier coming out as a rookie and having a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown, that was beautiful, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said after the game.
Worthy made history by becoming just the second NFL player to score both a 20-plus-yard rushing and receiving touchdown in his debut, joining James Brim from 1987. His explosive performance came on just three touches, accumulating 68 yards. Worthy opened the scoring for Kansas City with a 21-yard end-around run, then sealed the game with a 35-yard touchdown reception from Patrick Mahomes, which proved to be the game-winner.
“He’s so cool, calm, and collected all the time,” Mahomes said. “You can’t even see the excitement on him. He goes out there and makes plays… I thought he had a great day today making big plays in big moments.”
The anticipation around Worthy, selected 28th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, had been building. Many questioned the Buffalo Bills’ decision to trade with the Chiefs, allowing Kansas City to grab the Texas speedster. Worthy, who set a combine record with a 4.21-second 40-yard dash, lived up to the hype in his first NFL appearance.
Worthy’s first NFL touch, the 21-yard rushing score, saw him reach a top speed of 18.45 mph, gaining +14 Rushing Yards Over Expected, according to Next Gen Stats.
Reflecting on the moment, Worthy said, “Man, it was crazy. We ran that in the preseason, and I fumbled. So, it was kind of bad, but for them being able to have that trust in me… it was an amazing moment for my first touchdown in the NFL.”
Worthy’s game-changing presence promises to make life easier for his teammates, Mahomes noted, explaining how defenses will have to adjust. “Just having him out there opens up stuff. It’s getting guys like [Travis Kelce] and Rashee [Rice] open underneath. That’s what’s great about this offense.”
Worthy’s final touch, the 35-yard receiving touchdown, gave the Chiefs a 27-17 lead, a cushion they maintained despite a late Ravens rally led by Lamar Jackson and Isaiah Likely.
With their new weapon in Xavier Worthy, the Chiefs, the two-time reigning Super Bowl champions, are off to a strong start in the 2024 season.
