Sportsnaut
The Kansas City Chiefs have made a few changes this offseason that they hope will generate a more consistent and explosive offense during the 2025 NFL season. One additional move under consideration is deploying 2024 first-round pick Xavier Worthy more on special teams.
As highlighted by Ed Easton Jr. of Chiefs Wire, Chiefs’ special teams coordinator Dave Toub said this past week that Worthy is in consideration to become the team’s punt returner in 2025. The team originally wanted to deploy him in that capacity during his rookie season, but the Rashee Rice injury changed those plans.
“He’s the best punt returner nobody knows about right now in the league.”
Kansas City Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub on Xavier Worthy
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The Chiefs finished last season ranked 12th in average yards per punt return (9.9) and they tied for the third-most returns of 20-plus yards (four). As for 40-plus yard returns, Kansas City ranked tied for fifth (one) on 31 attempts during the regular season.
Following Rice’s season-ending injury, Worthy took on a more prominent role in the offense. It shifted Nikko Remigio (9.5 yards per return) and Mecole Hardman (10.1 yards per return) into splitting the punt return gig. With Hardman now playing for the Green Bay Packers, there will be a battle for the job in Kansas City.
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With the Texas Longhorns, Worthy emerged as one of the best punt returners in college football in 2023. He led the NCAA in punt return yards (371) and had the highest average yards per return (16.9) among qualified returners that season.
In addition to Worthy’s 4.21 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine in 2024, he posted a 16.5 percent juke rate during his rookie season. He also ranked 16th in the NFL in yards after catch (407) on just 98 targets.
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Deploying Worthy as a punt returner could help lead to Kansas City improving its average starting field position. The Chiefs’ offense ranked 15th in average starting position (own 30.1-yard line). It could ultimately help Kansas City finish even higher than 10th in points per drive next season.
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