Chiefs rookie Allen bruised, Worthy hurt in practice
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- Cyrus Allen sustained a lower left leg injury during a pooch-punt special teams drill in St. Joseph, Mo., when the rookie gunner collided with cornerback Kaiir Elam and stayed down with his helmet buried in the turf before being carted off.
- Adam Schefter reported tests showed Allen suffered a shin bruise with nothing torn or broken — a best-case outcome for the fifth-round pick who had emerged as one of camp's top storylines.
- Xavier Worthy left practice early with a right shoulder injury after making an impressive deep catch against two defenders, landing on the shoulder near the end zone.
- Worthy had previously required offseason surgery for a right shoulder injury suffered on the third snap of last season, when he collided with tight end Travis Kelce on a crossing route against the Los Angeles Chargers.
- Allen had been climbing the depth chart, leading all receivers with five catches during Friday's projected-starters 11-on-11 reps and making a leaping one-handed grab from Patrick Mahomes that held up even after safety Alohi Gilman tried to punch it out.
- Dave Toub, the Chiefs' special teams coordinator, explained that all rookies initially play on all four special teams phases until they establish themselves as offensive or defensive starters.
Why it matters: The Chiefs' receiving depth took a double hit in one practice, with fifth-round rookie Allen — a camp standout who caught five balls Friday — diagnosed with a bruise and no structural damage, while Worthy's same-shoulder flare-up echoes the injury that already cost him last season and required surgery. How quickly both return shapes Mahomes' rotation behind Rashee Rice and Marquise Brown.
