Throughout their rivalry with the Bills, the Chiefs have benefited from trades on Day 1 of the NFL Draft with their most consistent AFC challenger.
Of course, their biggest trade with the Bills came in 2017, when the Chiefs moved up 17 spots in the first round to acquire quarterback Patrick Mahomes. In 2022, when the Chiefs were beginning the process of reloading their roster after the Tyreek Hill trade, general manager Brett Veach pulled off another trade, this time with the New England Patriots, to move up eight spots — jumping ahead of the Bills — to select All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie.
Last year, the Chiefs hit the trifecta. The Chiefs sent the Nos. 32, 95 and 221 picks to Buffalo for picks 28, 133 and 248. With the 28th pick, the Chiefs selected receiver Xavier Worthy, who ran the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine in a record-setting 4.21 seconds.
One of the biggest subplots of today’s AFC Championship Game is whether Worthy can be an effective, valuable contributor as the Chiefs seek to reach Super Bowl LIX — and eliminate the Bills for the fourth time in five years.
“I take it as a blessing,” Worthy said Friday of the Bills’ trade that led him to Kansas City. “I feel it’s a sign that they didn’t want me. I’m going to play with a chip on my shoulder. This game means a little bit more. This is a team that traded their pick away to get somebody else.”
In November, in the first matchup between the teams, Worthy’s speed led him to have one of his best performances in his rookie season. Although the Chiefs lost, Worthy recorded 68 all-purpose yards on five touches, including a touchdown.
For Sunday’s rematch, the Chiefs hope Worthy and Mahomes can connect on the deep pass they missed in the first meeting. Early in the second quarter, Worthy failed to get both feet in bounds while catching the ball, leading to perhaps the Chiefs’ most critical incompletion. Part of Worthy’s left foot was out of bounds, which led CBS broadcasters Jim Nantz and Tony Romo to groan when they watched the replay.
Instead of a 40-yard completion — one that would’ve put the ball at the Bills’ 30-yard line — the Chiefs offense never gained a yard on the possession, instead going backward for a 9-yard loss with a sack of Mahomes.
Ahead of Sunday’s game, Worthy vowed not to make a similar error.
“We left a lot out there on the field,” Worthy said. “We’ve just got to execute and continue with our game plan.”
