Xavier Worthy reflects on his first NFL game and compares it to his NCAA days

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When Xavier Worthy was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs, many people’s minds were blown because he wasn’t tipped to leave so early in the 2024 Draft.

Once people started talking about the prospects for this season, Worthy entered the conversation and gained a lot of hype because he broke the record at the Combine, but he still fell well short in the analysts’ mock drafts and didn’t even make the top 10.

The moment he was announced in Kansas City, his reputation skyrocketed and he became one of the big bets of the season.

That’s because of his athleticism and speed, and he could help Patrick Mahomes recover his characteristic long and deep throws.

Worthy’s pre-season debut

In the opening game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the pass-catcher didn’t catch any balls, but he did get a taste of the dynamics and rhythm of a professional NFL game.

This past Monday, Worthy spoke to the media about the big changes he’s experiencing: playing in the NFL, learning the playbook and what he experienced in his first game.

“The toughest challenge for the camp, I feel like, (is) just the playbook. I feel like I got really adapted to it. I’ve been in the playbook really all day (and) all night,” said.

“Understanding the little bits, the formations, the motions. Understanding what everybody else has just so I could – what if I am in that position? So, just understanding all of that, I feel like that really helped me in this training camp.”

He then recounted the differences he saw in just one match to what he experienced in college: “Coming into the league, it’s different speeds at all levels. High school has their own speed, college has their own speed,”

“Obviously, in the NFL, everybody is smarter; they move, (and) they adjust better. So just me knowing that I kind of just – if I feel like I had more plays, I’d be able to get a rhythm going into the game, but I feel like I adapted to the game speed pretty well.”

But the process is happening little by little. The Chiefs will play their second game on Saturday 17th against the Detroit Lions.

Worthy’s inspiration for preparing to be a Chief

Although his original position is wide receiver, Xavier Worthy has also shown interest in being a punt returner.

The speed factor makes him a player who offers more options to the coaching staff.

Worthy spoke about his interest in taking part in the special teams.

“They kind of just took me off and sat me down for the day, but yeah, I’m ready to get my first punt return going. I wanted one of those punt returns for sure definitely. But they took us off the field, I was like ‘dang, I can’t get a punt return’. So I mean, it was messed up, but I understand.”

The WR cited a punter that the team watched a lot to serve as inspiration for the squad.

“I’m definitely gonna be back there returning,” noted. “We watched a lot of Devin Hester – he just entered the hall of fame. Coach (Dave Toub) coached him. So it was amazing just to have a coach (who) coached him and understand the tools it takes to be great back there.”

David Hester is a former American football player known for his outstanding career as a returner in the NFL.

Born in 1982, Hester gained notoriety for his exceptional skills returning kicks and punts, and was one of the league’s best at the position. He was selected by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2006 Draft.

During his career, Hester won the title of “Comeback Player of the Year” in 2006, and in 2007, he set an NFL record by returning two kicks and a punt for touchdowns in a single game.

Although he didn’t win a Super Bowl, Hester left a significant mark on the league as one of the most electrifying returners in history. He was inducted into the Chicago Bears Hall of Fame in 2020.