Patrick Mahomes found his way to the Kansas City Chiefs through a fateful draft-day trade with the Buffalo Bills in 2017. Seven years later, the Bills once again facilitated a first-round trade for the Chiefs, only to see another budding offensive star land in Kansas City.
This time it’s rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who scored two touchdowns and had 68 total yards on one rush and two receptions in his debut on Thursday – a 27-20 win over the visiting Baltimore Ravens.
Now frustrated NFL fans are venting about the fastest player in scouting combine history (4.21-second 40-yard dash) joining the league’s most fearsome offense. And much of that criticism has been directed at Bills general manager Brandon Beane, who was hired in Buffalo a month after the trade that helped Mahomes land in Kansas City.
‘Brandon Beane outsmarts everyone!!!’ a fan joked on X. ‘Ok other news, Xavier Worthy easy TD.’
‘Oh wow, imagine that Brandon Beane,’ another wrote.
Xavier Worthy and Patrick Mahomes are all smiles after the rookie’s two-touchdown effort
‘The Buffalo Bills screwed the entire NFL by allowing the Chiefs to draft Xavier Worthy,’ one fan added. ‘It will be a mistake that haunts Buffalo for many years & will do serious damage to the entire entirety of the league. Worthy’s speed is just absurd.’
Many of the responses simply regurgitated the same old memes X users have come to expect: Smoking Ben Affleck, crying Sydney Sweeney, and a series of photographs depicting one person or animal glaring at another.
‘How other teams are looking at the bills [right now] knowing the pick they traded to KC became Xavier Worthy,’ read one such post showing a driver staring down another from behind the wheel.
Retired Houston Texans legend JJ Watt kept things pretty straight forward: ‘Xavier Worthy fast as s***. Good lord.’
Mahomes was famously drafted by the Chiefs in 2017 after Kansas City swapped the 27th and 91st picks, as well as a 2018 first rounder, for the Bills’ selection at No. 10. In the end, the Bills would take Pro Bowl cornerback Tre’Davious White, receiver Zay Jones, and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds with the help of that deal.
Many of the responses simply regurgitated the same old memes X users have come to expect
Kansas City added Patrick Mahomes in 2017 thanks to a draft-day trade with Buffalo
Buffalo traded back in 2024, allowing the Chiefs to take Xavier Worthy with the 28th pick
Many blamed Worthy’s breakout performance on Bills general manager Brandon Beane
Of course, Mahomes has beaten the Bills in three memorable playoff matchups since being drafted by the Chiefs.
There is some logic behind Beane’s decision to make the trade.
Yes, the Bills could have stayed at No. 28 in the first round and simply taken Worthy themselves. However, the team would pick another wideout, Keon Coleman, five picks later, suggesting that Buffalo’s front office preferred the Florida State product.
And while it remains to be seen if Coleman or Worthy will end up being the better NFL player, Beane’s trade did allow Buffalo to flip a fourth-round selection to Kansas City for a third-round pick. Ultimately the Bills would use that third rounder on Duke defensive tackle DeWayne Carter, who could provide some much-needed depth along the line.
‘There are other moving parts, but #Bills trading 28 to KC was basically Xavier Worthy for Keon
