'They Didn't Want Me': Xavier Worthy Says Bills Game 'Means a Little Bit More' After Draft Day Trade

Reflecting on the trade that brought him to Kansas City, Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy acknowledged that he has "a chip on my shoulder" for the Buffalo Bills.

Nov 17, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) signals a first down against the Buffalo Bills during the first half at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Wide receiver Xavier Worthy became a focal point of the Kansas City Chiefs' offense throughout the course of his rookie season, recording at least four catches and 40 yards in every game dating back to Kansas City's regular season loss to the Buffalo Bills. As the Chiefs and Bills prepare for a rematch in the AFC championship game, Worthy looked back on how his NFL career began with a connection between the AFC's final two teams.

Late in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Chiefs and Bills executed a trade for the No. 28 overall pick as the Chiefs moved up from No. 32. The Chiefs selected Worthy with the pick, while Buffalo moved back again before selecting Florida State wide receiver Keon Coleman at No. 33 overall.

On Friday, Worthy was asked what he remembers from draft night as the Bills traded out of the pick that the Chiefs used to bring him to Kansas City.

"I mean, I take it as a blessing and I feel like it's a sign that they didn't want me," Worthy said. "At the end of the day, I'm going to play with my chip on my shoulder. This game means a little bit more. Obviously, it's the AFC championship game, but this is a team that traded their pick away to get somebody else."

Worthy was then asked about how he feels he's developed throughout the second half of the season, in light of the way Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has repeatedly discussed Worthy's growth since his performance in Buffalo. The rookie pointed credit toward Mahomes and veteran pass catchers Travis Kelce, DeAndre Hopkins and JuJu Smith-Schuster.

"I feel like I just kept stacking every game," Worthy said. "All the vets like Pat, Trav, D-Hop, JuJu; I mean, having guys like that makes it real easy just to give you insight on the game and just learning from them and keep taking tools from them. I mean, I can't appreciate it enough, just learning from D-Hop — as D-Hop says, I'm kind of like the little brother, so just getting knowledge from them is going to keep expanding my game."

As Worthy has evolved, so has his connection with Mahomes. Worthy continued to credit Kelce for setting the standard for what it means to be on the same page with his quarterback.

"Having the insight from the older guys and just understanding — talking to Trav all the time, he has the best connection with Pat, probably the best connection in the league," Worthy said. "Just having a feel for what Trav likes and Pat likes, just playing off of them makes it real easy."

Reflecting on the Chiefs' loss in Buffalo, Worthy had a simple lesson for the rematch when asked what stood out from KC's defeat.

"We left a lot out there on the field," Worthy said. "We just got to execute and just continue with our game plan."

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