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Kansas City Chiefs‘ training camp had been eventful, but Saturday’s session added a scare few in the building saw coming. Within hours of each other, Xavier Worthy and Cyrus Allen both went down and left the field. We now have updates on both players.

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“Xavier Worthy (shoulder) is believed to be OK,” insider Ian Rapoport posted on X.

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For a fanbase that had spent the afternoon bracing for the worst, that relief finally gave them room to breathe.

Worthy’s scare came during an 11-on-11 period, when he made a catch against two defenders and fell to the turf near the end zone. The Kansas City Star’s Pete Sweeney reported that the WR “hit the turf shoulder-first, with cornerback Kader Kohou rolling on top of him.”

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Worthy dislocated the same shoulder back in September, colliding with Travis Kelce in last year’s season opener against the Chargers. He missed a few games, then played through the injury the rest of the way before having surgery in January. Despite all that, he still hauled in 42 of 73 targets for 532 yards and a touchdown across 14 games.

Losing Worthy could have been a major blow to the Chiefs‘ offense, which is recalibrating its passing attack after last year’s lackluster performance. He finished third among wide receivers in receiving yards last season. And with Rashee Rice’s status uncertain earlier in the offseason, Worthy was considered the next-best candidate.

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Before the draft, Worthy broke the 40-yard dash record, clocking an impressive 4.21 seconds. But that promise didn’t translate into his NFL debut, where his passer rating dropped from 93.1 to 79.3. Worthy was also suffering from an ankle injury during the season.

The Year 2 WR was confident about the upcoming season. He worked his way back through spring OTAs in a limited role and was finally cleared for contact heading into this camp. Thankfully for the Chiefs, it looks like Worthy might be back in practice soon.

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Then there was Allen, who went down in a punt coverage drill.

Chiefs’ Dave Toub addresses Cyrus Allen’s injury

Allen’s situation looked rough in the moment. He was carted off shaking his head, and everyone feared the worst for a lower-body injury. But Adam Schefter laid those concerns to rest.

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“Tests on Chiefs rookie WR Cyrus Allen revealed a shin bruise, per source. Nothing was torn or broken – a best-case scenario,” he posted on X.

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Special teams coordinator Dave Toub broke down exactly how it happened.

“Yeah, (Kaiir) Elam was catching the ball,” Toub explained to reporters after Saturday practice. “He was a gunner. They were both playing gunner, and Elam was catching it. He was clearly there, and (Cyrus) Allen came in. He thought he was catching it, and they collided.”

Toub didn’t hide his concern either, but he was also quick to point out how much Allen has impressed so far.

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“I hate to see somebody get hurt, especially on a special teams drill. He’s really doing well on offense, and he’s doing well for me, too. He’s at gunner and returner, and he’s doing a really good job, putting himself in a good position to be a guy that’s going to help us this year.”

Allen, a fifth-round rookie who split his college career between Louisiana Tech, Texas A&M and Cincinnati, totaled 2,221 yards and 22 touchdowns over 44 career games. This is exactly the kind of depth Kansas City can’t afford to lose. With the WR depth already being so questionable, having Allen waiting in the wings is crucial for Kansas City.

Per reports, Allen has been pulling off some impressive moves throughout the offseason. ESPN’s Nate Taylor wrote that his reps have increased each day in training camp, and he “dominated the on-field work, leading all receivers with five catches during the projected starters’ 11-on-11 repetitions.” Head coach Andy Reid said that quarterback Patrick Mahomes now “trusts” Allen.

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After a 6-11 season, where the receiver room struggled to give Patrick Mahomes much help, a serious injury would’ve left the Chiefs leaning heavily on Rashee Rice, Tyquan Thornton, Jalen Royals and Nikko Remigio. Save for Rice, none of the other players seemed that dependable. Fortunately for Chiefs fans, Worthy and Allen should return to strengthen the depth.

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Written by

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Ishani Jayara

585 Articles

Ishani Jayara is an NFL Writer at EssentiallySports, covering the league with a focus on team narratives, season arcs, and the evolving dynamics that shape professional football. Introduced to the sport through friends, what began as casual interest steadily grew into a deep engagement with the game, guiding her toward football journalism. A longtime San Francisco 49ers supporter, she brings an informed fan’s perspective while maintaining editorial balance in her reporting. Her path into sports media has been shaped by experience in fast-paced digital environments, where she learned to navigate breaking news cycles, long-form storytelling, and the demands of consistent publishing. Alongside this, her professional background in quality-focused roles sharpened her attention to detail, structure, and clarity, qualities that now define her editorial approach. At EssentiallySports, Ishani concentrates on unpacking key NFL moments, tracking shifting team identities, and connecting on-field performances with the broader narratives surrounding the league.

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Afreen Kabir

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