Kansas City Chiefs rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy left Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers with a shoulder injury after a surprising on-field collision with star tight end Travis Kelce. The incident, which occurred midway through the second quarter, has now sparked headlines after Worthy publicly criticized Kelce, claiming the veteran’s lack of focus contributed to the mishap.
The play unfolded on a critical third down, with the Chiefs driving deep into Chargers territory. Worthy was assigned to run a short crossing route underneath while Kelce released into an intermediate route across the middle. However, a breakdown in spacing and timing saw the two collide violently in the middle of the field. Kelce’s larger frame slammed into Worthy, sending the rookie to the turf clutching his shoulder as Arrowhead Stadium gasped in shock.
Medical staff rushed onto the field and escorted Worthy to the sideline, where he was later ruled out for the remainder of the game. Kelce remained in the contest, but the frustration boiled over postgame when Worthy directly addressed the collision in candid remarks to reporters.
“He needs to stop waving at Taylor Swift from the sidelines and remember his damn running routes,” Worthy said, clearly pointing fingers at the veteran tight end. “We’re out here fighting, every down matters, and we can’t afford to be bumping into each other because someone isn’t locked in.”
The rookie’s comments immediately sparked a firestorm across social media and sports talk shows. Kelce, one of the NFL’s biggest stars both on and off the field, has been under heightened scrutiny this season due to his high-profile relationship with pop superstar Taylor Swift. While most teammates and coaches have praised his leadership, Worthy’s remarks hint at growing frustrations inside the locker room.
Head coach Andy Reid, however, downplayed the controversy in his postgame press conference. “It was just a miscommunication on the route concepts,” Reid explained. “These things happen in football. We’ll get it corrected. Both of those guys are great players, and we need them both.”
Still, analysts couldn’t ignore the tone of Worthy’s comments. “For a rookie to openly call out a future Hall of Famer, that’s rare,” said ESPN’s Marcus Spears. “It tells you either how frustrated Worthy is or that there’s something bubbling underneath the surface in that locker room.”
As for the injury, early reports indicated Worthy suffered a bruised shoulder but avoided significant structural damage. He is currently listed as “day-to-day” and could potentially return within the next week, pending further evaluation.
The Chiefs ultimately rallied to secure a narrow win over the Chargers, but the storyline emerging from the game had little to do with the final score. Instead, all eyes are on the dynamic between the rookie receiver and the team’s most recognizable star.
For a franchise chasing another Super Bowl, the Chiefs will hope the collision — and the controversy that followed — was nothing more than a bump in the road rather than a crack in team chemistry.