Chiefs Studios Features: Xavier Worthy is a dark horse for end of season award

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Chiefs headlines for Thursday, June 27

The latest




Chiefs Patrick Mahomes debuts new Coors Light Time Capsule commercial | Chiefs Wire



In the video, Mahomes is getting ready to film the Coors Light commercial when an on-set producer interrupts and stops all production to remind him of his contractual restrictions. To preserve the commercial, it is being buried in a high-tech time capsule at the Coors Brewery in Golden, Colorado, which will be opened and viewed only when the reigning Super Bowl MVP can finally promote Coors Light.


“Everyone knows I’m a Coors Light guy, and this summer, we were cooking up something special.” said Mahomes in a statement. “unfortunately, you’ll have to stay tuned until the day that we can finally share it with the world!”


Coors Light is hosting a live event to bury the capsule, and fans can tune in via live stream on YouTube on Friday, June 28, at 10 am CT.




Pre-Camp Breakdown: Evaluating the QB Room Behind Patrick Mahomes



Carson Wentz


The Chiefs signed the 31-year-old Wentz back in April to serve as Mahomes’ primary backup in 2024. Wentz, who was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, made one start for the Los Angeles Rams last season, completing 17-of-24 passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns.


Wentz is best remembered for his time in Philadelphia, where he threw for 16,811 yards and 113 touchdowns across 68 starts from 2016 through 2020. Notably, Wentz was named a Second-Team All-Pro and finished third in MVP voting in 2017 before earning the No. 3 overall spot in the “NFL Top 100” rankings prior to the 2018 campaign.


Following his time with the Eagles, Wentz went on to start 24 games between Indianapolis and Washington from 2021 through 2022 before joining the Rams ahead of last season.



Three Dark-Horse Candidates for Every Major NFL Award in 2024 | Bleacher Report



Offensive Rookie of the Year


Kansas City Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy (+1800): When you’ve got that speed, you’ve got Patrick Mahomes, and you’ve got a receiving corps that is weak enough to lead to plenty of looks, the ingredients are there. Under those circumstances, those odds are strong.



Five Chiefs questions ahead of training camp: Where is Xavier Worthy in his development? - The Athletic | The Athletic



What’s the depth chart at linebacker?


The strength of the Chiefs’ defense is their pass rush and secondary, which leaves the linebacking core as the potential weakness of the unit. In the offseason, the Chiefs lost Willie Gay, who joined the New Orleans Saints in free agency. The Chiefs didn’t select a linebacker in the draft, either. The team’s projected starters are Nick Bolton, Drue Tranquill and Leo Chenal.


After that is just about anyone’s guess.


Jack Cochrane, a three-year player, received the most reps from everyone else during minicamp, as he was in place of Chenal, who was held out of team period because of a back injury. But Cam Jones could be the best reserve linebacker on special teams. Regarding positional versatility, Cole Christiansen might have the most value. Perhaps one of the undrafted rookies — Curtis Jacobs, Luquay Washington or Swayze Bozeman — has a tremendous camp and preseason to secure the final roster spot.


Of course, special teams play likely determines whether the Chiefs keep five or six linebackers on their initial 53-man roster.



Ranking the Top 10 Pass Rushers In NFL History | The 33rd Team



9. DERRICK THOMAS


There have been countless tragedies throughout the NFL’s history, and Derrick Thomas is far from a footnote among them. He passed away after his 11th season, having just turned 33. But he left an unforgettable legacy with his blend of speed and power.


The former Alabama star gave an immediate identity to the Kansas City Chiefs’ defense as a rookie, churning out 10 sacks as a rookie and winning Defensive Rookie of the Year. He earned nine straight Pro Bowl appearances and two first-team All-Pro nominations.


Thomas, the franchise’s leader in sacks, safeties, forced fumbles, and recoveries, also famously owns the single-game sack record with seven. He finished the 1990 season with an NFL-leading 20 sacks and produced at least eight in all but his final year. Few players have his blend of forced turnovers and sack-per-game numbers.



Ranking NFL teams’ worst-to-first odds for 2024 season | USA Today


The case against: Can Harbaugh and Roman really expect to regularly run roughshod over opponents every week in the current NFL landscape? Herbert’s unique abilities might be put to the test by a receiving corps that looks bound to struggle to create separation regularly unless rookie Ladd McConkey emerges. Given how top-heavy and veteran reliant the roster is, there’s a wide range of possibilities here. And then there’s the little matter of the eight-time defending AFC West champion Chiefs, who don’t look likely to fade as they pursue a title three-peat.


Travis Kelce Had Sweetest Four-Word Message About Watching Taylor Swift Perform | Sports illustrated



Fox Sports personality Charissa Thompson detailed a wholesome interaction she had with Kelce during one of Swift’s London shows in the latest episode of the podcast, Calm Down with Erin and Charissa.


“There’s a picture that I took of her on stage, and he’s like off to the side. And the way that he looks at her when she’s performing—and I said to him, ‘You must be so proud,’ Thompson told NFL reporter and fellow podcast host Erin Andrews. “He’s like, ‘You have no idea.’”



Around the NFL




Titans DT Jeffery Simmons ‘can’t wait’ to trash-talk Bears QB Caleb Williams in Week 1 | NFL.com



Jeffery Simmons won’t shy from his reputation as a trash-talker.


As one of the ascendant stars of the NFL, Simmons has earned the right to jaw with opponents, even if that occasionally requires officials to get involved.


“I’ve had the ref come to me with like ‘you have to calm it down,’” Simmons said Tuesday during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show. “Sometimes, the ref probably heard me really talking smack. He’s like ‘nine-eight, calm down.’


“It’s been like that a couple times.”



Colts GM says QB Anthony Richardson remains ‘full go’ for camp | ESPN



Colts general manager Chris Ballard said the team is not concerned about the shoulder fatigue Richardson felt at the end of organized team activities and minicamp.


Richardson, 22, underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in 2023 after suffering an AC joint sprain in Week 5.


“He’ll be full go,” Ballard said on “The GM Shuffle” podcast. “He was full go all the way up until the last day of OTAs, and we had two heavy throwing sessions the two days before, and so we backed off a little on the last day.”


Richardson was a full participant throughout OTAs and Day 1 of minicamp. He left Day 2 of minicamp early and sat out the final day.



In case you missed it on Chiefs Studios




Chiefs Roster: Is the team deep enough behind RB Isiah Pacheco?



Are the Chiefs deep enough at running back?


Kansas City has tapped a reservoir of excess value from its running backs over the past two seasons.


In 2022, the team selected Rutgers running back Isiah Pacheco in the seventh round of the NFL Draft. While good value is often found in late-round backs, most seventh-rounders never amount to much. Pacheco has been an exception to the rule.


Before he arrived, running backs weren’t among the team’s strengths. While Clyde Edwards-Helaire turned in a strong finish during 2021’s postseason, he hadn’t demonstrated the ability to remain healthy or consistently perform at a high level. Jerick McKinnon had also been excellent at the end of 2021, collecting 39 carries, 174 yards and a touchdown —plus 17 catches for 191 yards and two scores — during the last four games. But going into his age-30 season, McKinnon’s lengthy injury history was a concern. The Chiefs couldn’t reasonably expect him to be the lead running back for another extended season.


While Pacheco first had to get his footing — he had just 44 carries over his first eight games — he finished the regular season with 126 carries for 633 yards (5.0 yards per carry), and four touchdowns. He followed that with 37 carries for 197 yards and a score in three playoff games, ending the season as the clear No. 1 back.


In 2023, Pacheco posted 205 carries, 935 yards (4.6 yards per carry) and seven touchdowns over 14 games. He also found a way to get involved in the passing game, collecting 44 receptions for 244 yards and two scores.



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League is already on notice... but can't hurt to remind 'em @trent_mcduffie pic.twitter.com/f7Vkxv6WPy— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) June 26, 2024






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