Kansas City Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy’s recovery from a season-ending injury is now in question, not because of a setback in rehab, but due to a questionable decision involving a swimming pool and a social media dare. After an impressive rookie year in 2024, his shoulder injury derailed the start of his 2025 campaign. Now, Worthy’s recent actions may have stalled his recovery even further.

The young wide receiver recently requested 20,000 likes from his followers to jump in the pool with his injured arm. Upon getting the required likes, he indeed dove into the pool while remaining cautious of his injured arm.

While Worthy’s pool jump for social media likes might seem like a harmless stunt, it highlights a potential recklessness that could jeopardize his recovery from a significant shoulder injury he sustained back in Week 1. The WR got injured when the Chiefs played the Los Angeles Chargers on September 8, 2025. The game took place in São Paulo, Brazil.

Worthy and the Chiefs’ tight end, Travis Kelce, had a miscommunication during the game. As the WR was running the crossing route, the two collided when Worthy ran a crossing route directly into Kelce’s path. While the much larger Kelce was uninjured on the play, Worthy dislocated his shoulder and tore his labrum, but he was still adamant about playing the season.

Battling the shoulder and an additional ankle injury, Worthy still played 14 games this season, missing only two. As the season is over and the Chiefs aren’t in the playoffs, the wide receiver has gone through a successful surgery recently, updating fans on social media on January 14, 2026. His projected recovery time is about 6 to 8 months, meaning he is likely to attain full fitness at the beginning of the next season.

This isn’t the first time Worthy has been banged up; his NFL career began with a hamstring sprain in the 2024 preseason, and his injury history dates back to college, raising questions about his long-term durability.

Worthy’s injury-plagued season, where he clearly wasn’t at his best, is just one piece of the Chiefs’ receiver puzzle. Compounding the issue is the uncertainty surrounding Rashee Rice’s future due to his off-field situation, leaving Kansas City with a glaring need for a reliable pass-catcher.

Rice’s off-field situation has sparked concern about his future. Since the departure of Tyreek Hill, no other player has been able to replicate the same explosiveness, which is why the Chiefs must bring a reliable wide receiver for their star quarterback.

USC Trojans’ Makai Lemon could be a solid addition to the Chiefs’ offense, as he is projected to draw significant interest in the NFL Draft 2026.

Makai Lemon could be Patrick Mahomes’ new reliable wide receiver

The Chiefs possess a top 10 selection in the upcoming draft, making it a first since selecting Patrick Mahomes in 2017. And now, they could target a talented wide receiver. Makai Lemon possesses skills that could make him the next safe pair of hands for Mahomes. He excels at attacking the ball in the air and combines that with polished route-running and reliable hands.

A to Z Sports‘ Charles Goldman thinks the college star could blend in well with the current Chiefs squad.

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“As much as adding a player like Lemon would be about the uncertainty surrounding Chiefs WR Rashee Rice’s off-field situation,” Goldman said. “It’d also be about replacing production lost should Travis Kelce retire.”

Lemon’s production at USC speaks for itself. Over three seasons, he amassed over 2,000 receiving yards and proved to be a chain-mover, evidenced by his 50 first-down receptions in 2025, which tied for the most nationally.

With Kelce’s future in question and Worthy recovering from major surgery, Lemon could provide long-term stability for the Chiefs’ receiving corps. With pressing needs at the position, the Chiefs will have to seriously consider investing a high draft pick in a player with Lemon’s profile.