While the Kansas City Chiefs reached the Super Bowl last season, they couldn’t get the win against the Philadelphia Eagles, resulting in their first season without a championship in two years. Many of the team’s issues came from a lack of explosiveness on offense.
That might change as, according to second-year receiver Xavier Worthy, head coach Andy Reid has a new offensive strategy for the 2025-26 season that could bring back the Chiefs’ offense of old.
Xavier Worthy Hints at Chiefs Bringing Back the Deep Ball This Season
The Chiefs drafted Worthy in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft as a new speedster addition to their offense. Worthy ran a 4.21-second 40-yard dash, marking the fastest in NFL Combine history.
Despite his elite speed, Worthy was utilized more near the line of scrimmage than down the field last season, averaging 10.2 receiving yards per reception, which ranked 82nd in the NFL.
However, that might change this year as Worthy told Kay Adams on the “Up and Adam’s Show” that Andy Reid hinted that the Chiefs will be throwing the ball deep this season.
“Coach Reid told us… when you get back get your hamstrings ready”
Xavier Worthy on the deep ball being a bigger part of the Chiefs offense this year.@heykayadams | @XavierWorthy #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/vlabbXhxxG
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) July 10, 2025
“Coach Reid told us during OTA’s phase one that when you come back, get your hamstrings ready,” Worthy said. “So we kind of knew that we were going to be going a little deep in practice.”
The deep ball was a staple of the Chiefs’ offense when Patrick Mahomes first took over as quarterback in 2018. From 2018 to 2020, Mahomes was well above the league average in terms of air yards per completion.
However, that number has seen a steady decline from 2021 on, with Mahomes ranking second-to-last in that category in the last two seasons. The Chiefs’ offense felt stale at times during the 2024-25 season, ranking 17th in yards per game and 15th in points per game.
The deep ball could be key to sparking more explosive plays for the Chiefs next season, and with Worthy on the roster, they have the weapon to make it happen.
The Chiefs’ passing offense was at its best when Mahomes connected downfield with Tyreek Hill during his first four seasons. With Worthy added to the receiving room as well, Kansas City could return to that explosive style.
