Xavier Worthy saved his best for the biggest stage. We won’t even talk about the Chiefs‘ blowout loss, don’t worry. But that’s only because Worthy was the lone bright spot for Kansas City, hauling in eight catches for 157 yards and two touchdowns. One of those scores made history, too. With 34 seconds left in the third quarter, Worthy became the first Texas Longhorn to ever score in a Super Bowl. And he wasn’t done. Early in the fourth quarter, he slipped behind the Eagles’ defense and caught a 50-yard bomb from Patrick Mahomes that reminded everyone why the Chiefs drafted him.

Even in a 40-22 loss, the rookie wideout looked like a star. And that’s a positive for the Chiefsdom and Andy Reid to hold on to… Plus, it’s befitting that Fresno is giving him his flowers. Worthy, a native of the Central Valley, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at a Fresno Grizzlies game—his hometown team. The Grizzlies announced the appearance on Instagram, calling him their own. It’s a full-circle moment for the 21-year-old, who just months ago was trying to prove himself in the NFL. Now? He’s not just a rookie sensation. He’s Fresno’s favorite son.

The post by the Fresno Grizzlies read, “BREAKING – Fresno-native and Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy will be throwing out the first pitch before the Grizzlies game on Sunday, July 6! 🏈” This would be a great moment for the young receiver, who has only yet played his first season, to make a first throw in front of other Fresno locals. The caption also included a promotion of Worthy’s charity foundation, which supports single moms and children. It said, “Get your tickets while benefiting The @worthy1foundation at FresnoGrizzlies.com/Offers.”  

While Worthy caught 59 receptions for 638 yards and 6 touchdowns in the regular season, he really shone bright in the postseason, where he recorded 19 receptions for 287 yards and 3 touchdowns in just three games. With the obvious Feb. 9 night engraved in his head. His best performance of the last season. Let that sink in!

Even though the numbers are not very fancy, the ranking placed him sixth in receptions and seventh in yards among NFL rookies. Impressing everyone with the impact that he had in the games he played. It was just unlucky for the youngster not to have won the Lombardi Trophy despite his figures. But the previous year wasn’t too kind to him, with allegations of domestic abuse being levelled against him. While Xavier and his ex, Tia Jones, peacefully settled the matter, it was still a stressful issue, with both parties taking shots at each other on social media.

As Xavier lets go of everything that happened in the past and prepares for his second year with the Chiefs, analysts are predicting that he will outdo himself and have a ‘ballistic’ season.

2025 is Xavier Worthy’s season

Xavier Worthy didn’t hit the ground running right away. He needed time to find his rhythm. But once he did, there was no slowing him down. By the second half of the season, he had emerged as Patrick Mahomes’ go-to target. That late-season surge. And his explosive postseason numbers. Those are just a couple of factors turning heads now. Bleacher Report recently named him one of the league’s most underrated receivers. Analysts think he’s just getting started.

“During Day 1 of the 2024 draft, the Kansas City Chiefs pulled off one of the event’s shrewdest maneuvers by trading up to No. 28 to secure speedster Xavier Worthy,” Bleacher Report wrote. “Given that fantastic end-of-season run and subsequent playoff showing… Worthy was one of the Chiefs’ best players during their run to the Super Bowl, catching 19 of his 21 targets for 287 yards and three scores in three postseason contests… It would be surprising if Worthy doesn’t go ballistic during his upcoming sophomore season.”

Now, with no off-field distractions and full focus on football, Worthy looks poised to take another leap. He’s out to prove he’s more than just a deep threat—he wants to be WR1. Whether he earns enough reps to prove it is still uncertain. But with the way he finished 2024, he’s definitely earned the shot.