Why Xavier Worthy and Chiefs are ‘juiced’ for fastest offense you’ve never seen

The Kansas City Chiefs’ post-Tyreek Hill era has proven to be a slow burn in terms of finding two-time MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes a true collection of offensive weapons.

The good news for Kansas City is that it hasn’t stopped the Chiefs from reaching (and winning) Super Bowls. And really, it hasn’t been for lack of trying.

Just take what has transpired in recent years.

Coming off Rashee Rice’s second-half breakout in 2023, general manager Brett Veach signed Hollywood Brown to a one-year prove-it deal in March. A month later, Veach traded up with the rival Buffalo Bills to select speedster Xavier Worthy out of Texas.

In the Chiefs’ first 2024 preseason game, in Jacksonville, the trio made their much-anticipated debut together … for one, single snap. Brown caught a pass across the middle and landed awkwardly on his shoulder as he was brought to the ground.

Kansas City wouldn’t see Brown until December — by which time, Rice had already been lost for the season after suffering a devastating Week 4 knee injury.

Fast-forward to this preseason, and Brown, Rice and Worthy have still yet to play another snap together thanks to Brown’s training camp ankle injury. But he has been back to practice for a week, and it seems that all systems are go for next Friday’s opener.

With Rice now set for a six-game suspension to start the season, the trio could finally see its second-ever snap together 435 days later, in Week 7, when the Chiefs host the Las Vegas Raiders. Following a preseason game in which the Chiefs’ first-team offense scored on all three series it took the field, Worthy seems eager for the prospect.

“I think we came out with like a lot of excitement,” he said of the performance against the Bears. “I feel like that’s just kind of been the morale of the group. Everybody came out juiced (and) ready. I feel like we didn’t want to come out, just having so much fun.

“I feel like that’s just kind of like our core right now. Coach (Andy) Reid says all the time, like, ‘Let your personality show,’ and I feel like we’re letting that happen.”

Perhaps the greatest sign of the offensive resurgence had nothing to do with Brown, Rice and Worthy: A newcomer to the 53, Tyquan Thornton, hauled in a 58-yard bomb down the left sideline.

“Man, that’s something we were doing all camp,” said Worthy. “That’s what we worked on, and that kind of didn’t surprise me. It happened in the game — Tyquan’s been catching those all camp, and he’s really been showing up, so it just shows the work we’ve been putting in.”

Worthy explained that one play made the entire room of pass-catchers feel as though anything is possible.

“I feel like anybody could do that in the room right now,” said Worthy. “I mean, Rashee could go do that. So that just shows the camaraderie and what we got going on in the room. Everybody could go make a play at any moment, so they have to respect everybody on the field.”

Even after this year’s annual showcase, Worthy still holds NFL Combine 40-yard dash record at 4.21 seconds. Brown came in at 4.27 and Thornton at 4.28.

During the 2023 postseason, Rice set a rookie record with 196 yards after the catch, and he added 186 more through three games in 2024. Then there’s superstar tight end Travis Kelce, who looked like his old self in flashes against Chicago.

“I feel like (the speed) could open a lot of things up,” Worthy said. “We got Trav running all the underneath routes, whatever he needs to run. We got guys like me, Hollywood, Rashee, Tyquan to take the top off. We got the intermediate game. You have to play the whole field with all of us on the field.”

The “Legion of Zoom” days of the Chiefs have come and gone, but a new era of speed — title to be determined — is beginning to simmer.

This story was originally published August 27, 2025 at 6:00 AM.

Pete Sweeney

The Kansas City Star

Pete Sweeney is The Star’s Kansas City Chiefs insider and beat writer. He has covered the team since 2014.