Xavier Worthy: 'I'm as good as I can be right now'

New Chiefs receiver Xavier Worthy might not be as fast as he was back in March, when he blazed to the NFL Combine record for the 40-yard dash. But by Wednesday, he said a hamstring injury that limited him through OTAs was healed.

And that’s a very good development for the Chiefs, who selected Worthy with the 28th pick of April’s NFL Draft. The two-time defending Super Bowl champs started training camp Wednesday, with KC quarterbacks joining all the rookies at Missouri Western in St. Joseph, Mo.

“It felt good just to be back out here with the guys and being able to play football again,” Worthy told reporters at a media availability after practice.

“I’m as good as I can be right now,” Worthy added. “Obviously, still working my way back into things. But I’m here, I’m ready to work.”

Some Xavier Worthy for the Timeline. #Chiefs pic.twitter.com/BNxZBdYjkn

— Harold R. Kuntz (@HaroldRKuntz3) July 17, 2024

Because of the strained hamstring, Worthy couldn’t do much on the field during OTAs or minicamp. Speed guys have to be especially careful of aggravating a hamstring. But while he couldn’t do anything physically, Worthy said he tested the mental side of his game. He told reporters he constantly was asking questions of Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy.

“I feel like that’s the big struggle for all rookies, is learning the playbook, learning the system,” Worthy said. “So I feel like (getting in sync) with that for me, was a big thing. And rehabbing, of course, just to get back and be able to be out here and run.”

Worthy is the de facto fastest player in the NFL. He ran a 4.21-second time in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Worthy broke the previous record set by John Ross. Tyreek Hill likes to call himself the fastest guy in the league. But “the Cheetah” still ran a 4.29 at his Combine.

Because of his speed and hands, the Chiefs moved up in the first round, trading with the Bills for choice No. 28 to select Worthy, the former Texas Longhorn star. Kansas City needed receivers. If last year’s team had a flaw, it was at wideout. Patrick Mahomes could throw to best friend Travis Kelce, but the Chiefs needed a deep option. They didn’t have a consistent one.

So they selected Worthy and signed Marquise “Hollywood” Brown in free agency. Brown is a former Oklahoma Sooner who has a similar skill set to Worthy.

Mahomes met with reporters before camp started. No pressure on Worthy or anything, but the quarterback said it’s important that the receiver live up to expectations.

“There’s no easing,” Mahomes told reporters. “He’s going to have to be ready to go. We got a lot of competition on this offense. He got a lot of mental work in these last few weeks that he had during OTAs and minicamp, but it’s time to go now.

“Y’all saw it with Rashee [Rice] last year and some of the throwing-up days he had. We’re going to push you to the limit and prepare yourself to be ready to go for the season. That’s not just (Worthy). That’s everybody and everybody has to have that mentality when they come into camp.”