KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Xavier Worthy wowed football with the fastest 40-yard dash in NFL Combine history six months ago.
The Kansas City Chiefs rookie wide receiver showed Thursday that it will translate just fine to NFL games with a two-touchdown performance in his debut.
“This is everything I dreamed of,” Worthy said. “Like I said before, I didn’t want to go nowhere but the Chiefs. Just having this moment and it showing up how it is, it’s an amazing feeling.”
Worthy, who the Chiefs traded up to snag at No. 28 overall, isn’t built to take a beating at only 5 feet, 11 inches and 165 pounds.
But the idea is to use his speed so defenders can’t get a bead on him, which is exactly how it played out during a 27-20 win against the Baltimore Ravens in front of a raucous crowd at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
“It was rocking,” Worthy said. “When I first came out, my ears were hurting.”
Worthy kept the Arrowhead at a fever pitch with two trips to the end zone — a 21-yard run in the first quarter and a 35-yard pass in the fourth — finishing with 68 yards from scrimmage on three touches.
“He goes out there and makes plays,” Mahomes said. “Obviously, we want to continue to use him more and more. But I thought he had a great day today making big plays in big moments.”
Worthy’s speed and the addition of Hollywood Brown, who missed the game as he recovers from a collarbone injury, are expected to revive the Chiefs’ big-play offensive capability.
“Xavier coming out as a rookie having a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown, that was beautiful,” coach Andy Reid said. “... He can run and he’s got good hands, smart kid. He’ll keep growing as we go.”
Mahomes wasn’t able to uncork a deep ball to Worthy on the opening drive, but the rookie speedster still made an impact.
As Kansas City neared the red zone, Andy Reid dialed up a reverse to Worthy.
After taking the pitch, he turned up field at the far hash and accelerated 21 yards to the end zone in the blink of an eye.
“We ran that in the preseason and I fumbled,” Worthy said. “It was kind of bad, but for them to have that trust in me, I told Coach (Matt) Nagy, ‘I think this play is going to score’ and it happened. So, it’s just an amazing moment — my first touch being a touchdown in the NFL.”
Worthy said he called his shot during the morning walkthrough before Thursday’s game.
The play started with Mahomes faking an off-tackle handoff to Isiah Pacheco before pitching it to Worthy eight yards behind the line of scrimmage.
Travis Kelce was already pancaking Kyle Van Noy on the edge as Worthy turned upfield.
Rashee Rice and Noah Gray created a tunnel with kick-out blocks to the numbers, while Creed Humphrey flattened Kyle Hamilton downfield as Joe Thuney and Kingsley Suamataia erased Roquan Smith from the play.
All the was left was Worthy to outrun Malik Harrison, which he did with ease in putting the NFL on notice.
Asked what he saw on the play, “I see straight red,” Worthy quipped.
Mahomes tracked down the ball for Worthy, which the rookie said he expected after seeing the Chiefs QB do it for teammates in the past.
Worthy took advantage of a blown coverage early in the fourth quarter for a 35-yard touchdown catch and run up the right sideline, which proved to be the winning score for Kansas City.
“I came off the ball and (Baltimore cornerback) Marlon Humphrey kind of let me go,” Worthy said. “I was like, ‘I think he’s going to throw me this.’ So, I turned around and he hit me right in the hole and it was a walk-in.”
Mahomes said the Ravens showed a Cover 2 look, but the safety wasn’t far enough outside.
“Definitely a bust in coverage, but that happens early in the year and I just have to take advantage of it,” he said.
He became the first Chiefs rookie to debut with a multi-touchdown game since Kareem Hunt scored three touchdowns, one rushing and two receiving, in the 2017 season-opener at New England.
“I love ‘Uno,’ man; he’s just going to keep getting better,” right guard Trey Smith said. “Helluva player. His play speaks for itself. He has a great attitude and mindset when comes to work every day.”
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