Kansas City Chiefs rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy made a splash in his NFL debut last Thursday, catching two touchdowns in a victory over the Baltimore Ravens. The standout performance immediately put the league on notice, showing that the young wideout has the potential to be a key weapon in Kansas City’s high-powered offense.
This Sunday, Worthy will look to replicate his success when the Chiefs take on the Cincinnati Bengals. However, he’ll have some extra motivation heading into the game, thanks to a pointed critique from Bengals defensive back Cam Taylor-Britt.
During a media session on Wednesday, Taylor-Britt was asked about what Worthy brings to Kansas City’s offense. Instead of offering praise, Taylor-Britt gave a blunt and dismissive response, implying that Worthy’s abilities are one-dimensional.
“Speed,” Taylor-Britt said. “That’s about it. He can run straight. Run jet-sweeps and just run straight. He can’t do too much else, though, that’s about it. I feel like you put your hands on him, he’s only 100-some pounds. So if you put hands on him, you’ll stop his speed. So basically, get hands on him.”
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While Taylor-Britt isn’t wrong about Worthy’s speed being a major asset to the Chiefs offense—that’s a big reason the team drafted him—the comment was dismissive of the rookie’s all-around skillset. Worthy’s ability to stretch the field with his speed is a critical part of Kansas City’s game plan, but reducing his talent to merely “running straight” overlooks the potential he has to develop into a versatile playmaker.
More than just an insult, Taylor-Britt’s comment is a risky strategy, especially considering that he and the Bengals’ secondary will be tasked with stopping Worthy on Sunday. Underestimating the rookie could prove costly if Worthy finds a way to slip behind the defense or create separation for another big play.
For now, Worthy hasn’t responded to Taylor-Britt’s remarks. Whether he addresses the comments directly or lets his performance on the field do the talking remains to be seen. The best possible response for the young receiver would be to deliver another breakout game, perhaps even scoring a touchdown against the Bengals’ defense to silence the critics.
As the Bengals and Chiefs prepare for their showdown on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET, all eyes will be on the budding rivalry between Worthy and Taylor-Britt.
It’s shaping up to be a high-stakes battle on the field, with Worthy eager to prove that he’s far more than just a straight-line speedster.
