KANSAS CITY, Mo. — There is no official award for Team MVP of organized team activities and mandatory minicamp.If it existed with the Kansas City Chiefs, though, the likely winner would’ve been receiver Xavier Worthy, who did it all in a yellow, no-contact jersey while in the final stages of recovery from a torn labrum.“Xavier really had a nice camp,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Thursday, following the last day of mandatory minicamp. “Stronger — that’s the part that you like. You really see it. We put him in a lot of the primary positions, and I thought he did a nice job with all of it.”Worthy, a 2024 Chiefs first-round pick entering his third season, made sure Thursday to show off some of the gains he’s made this offseason.Though the 5-foot-11, 165-pound wideout typically conducts interviews with long sleeves on, he strode to the front of the interview room Thursday in a red cutoff shirt. That allowed TV cameras to pick up some additional muscle in his arms that wasn’t present in previous years.Worthy said his focus on strength training was part of the process of rehabbing from January’s surgery to repair his labrum.“So (it) really was just building on getting stronger,” Worthy said, “getting that back in the flow.”Worthy certainly had an impressive string of practices the last few weeks, with the no-contact jersey serving as a precautionary measure suggested by his doctor.One practice, Worthy sprinted deep to haul in a pair of deep throws beyond the team’s final defender. On another day, he stopped and pivoted during a red-zone drill in 7-on-7s, squaring up to secure a back-shoulder throw from quarterback Patrick Mahomes around tight coverage from rookie cornerback Mansoor Delane.“Jump-ball receiver, man,” Worthy said with a laugh when asked about that particular play. “Let’s do it.”There seem to be plenty of reasons for optimism for Worthy, even after a down statistical year.Though Worthy caught 42 passes for 532 yards with a touchdown in 13 games last season, that stat line leaves out a lot of context. He was injured on the first drive of the season when he collided with teammate Travis Kelce on a crossing route, suffering the torn labrum that he ended up playing through later in the season.Worthy wasn’t the same weapon afterward — and partly by design. Reid shared at the NFL’s annual meeting in March that Chiefs coaches changed Worthy’s role late in the season to shield him from further injury. Specifically, the team restricted his running over the middle — an area where he thrived as a rookie.“I couldn’t run certain routes because some routes, you’ve got to be physical, throw guys by. I couldn’t do that physically,” Worthy said. “It was just a limiting thing that was needed. It is what it is. Come back this year and do what I need to do.”Worthy also didn’t make excuses a year ago, but he acknowledges now that playing with the torn labrum hampered what he could accomplish on the field.It’s only logical, then, for him to believe there’s more to his game than what he showed in 2025.“I’d definitely say that’s not a true indication of what I am — limited in certain things,” Worthy said. “I want to just come back out here and show my ability and what I can do.”Worthy seemed prime for a big year after flashing at the end of his rookie season. He had eight catches for 157 yards with two touchdowns in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LIX loss, while also setting a rookie record for receiving yards in that contest.He’s still — already — at a critical point in his career. Worthy has two years left on his rookie contract, with a potential third if the Chiefs decide to pick up his fifth-year option.That also means he’ll be eligible for an extension soon if K.C. decides that’s best for the future.For now, Worthy says he’s not focused on catch or yardage goals for 2026. That’s partly because of a different voice leading him, as new receivers coach Chad O’Shea has preached controlling the small details each day while not getting distracted by what might happen in the future.So Worthy says he aims to be better in the meeting room every day. And emphasizes getting to practice early for extra catches.In short: Go through all the routines needed to earn a potential 1,000-yard season, without worrying about whether that result comes or not.“The little things add up,” Worthy said, “and they become habits.”Worthy also has a fan in O’Shea, who said he was immediately struck by the receiver’s speed. O’Shea said he’s had to change up his passing method with Worthy, working to throw as quickly as possible so he can get the toss beyond where Worthy is headed.O’Shea also said he’s been pleasantly surprised by Worthy’s ball skills.“I obviously know about the speed,” O’Shea said, “but I was excited with how well he’s caught the football.”O’Shea went on to single Worthy out for a trait the Chiefs also admired about him at the 2024 combine: his football intelligence. So far, O’Shea said Worthy has been “tremendous in the classroom” while displaying excellent recall.“He’s very coachable. He’s not an error-repeater. So we correct mistakes, and he moves on very quickly,” O’Shea said. “So that’s something I don’t think you see, when somebody’s watching the film or watching from the stands, is how good he is in his preparation.”O’Shea’s presence and no-nonsense style seem to have had an impact on Worthy, too. Worthy said his new position coach’s “energy is unmatched,” and said he’s fed off that enthusiasm — and hard coaching — over the last few weeks.“I feel like that’s something young guys kind of need,” Worthy said. “Somebody to push them and be out there with them in the fire.”More than anything, Worthy seems eager to move past his injury-filled 2025 campaign.His shoulder is close to 100 percent and improving each day, which gives even more reason to leave last year’s frustrations in the past.“I know what kind of player I can be and what things I can do on the field and what I can bring to the team,” Worthy said. “So that’s gonna show for itself.”