Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver and Fresno native Xavier Worthy was arrested on Friday night for domestic violence. Prosecutors later dropped the charge.
Worthy, who was in Fresno last month following the Super Bowl for a meet-and-greet with local fans, allegedly assaulted a family member or someone living in his house in Williamson County, Texas, which is located north of Austin, where Worthy played college football.
The big picture: The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office in Texas booked Worthy into jail on a third-degree felony charge of assault against a family member of a household that includes impeding breathing or circulation, with prosecutors ultimately dropping the charge.
- Texas law states that impeding breathing means applying pressure to a person’s throat or neck or blocking a person’s nose or mouth.
- The felony charge brings a potential punishment of two to 10 years in prison if convicted, along with a $10,000 fine.
State of play: Worthy’s arrest comes shortly after he wrapped up a successful rookie season in the NFL.
- Worthy was selected in the 1st round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the chiefs with the No. 28 overall pick and signed a four-year, $13.8 million contract.
- He started 13 games for the Chiefs and played in all 17 regular season games, recording 59 receptions for 638 yards and 6 receiving touchdowns. The Chiefs also utilized his speed in their run game, handing the ball off to him 20 times, which resulted in 3 touchdowns on the ground. Worthy also performed well across three games in the playoffs with 287 receiving yards and 3 receiving touchdowns.
What they’re saying: Worthy’s attorneys Chip Lewis and Sam Bassett released a statement saying they are aware of the allegation that led to his arrest.
- “We are working with law enforcement in Williamson County to ensure they have the benefit of the totality of circumstances that led to this allegation,” the statement reads. “The complainant was recently asked to vacate Mr. Worthy’s residence upon discovery of her infidelity. She has refused to do so and made a number of extortive efforts prior to resorting to this baseless allegation against Mr. Worthy. We will continue to cooperate with the Williamson County authorities as we have full faith that their thorough investigation will support Mr. Worthy’s innocence.”
