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7 March 2024
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) — Some Kansas City Chiefs players continued to step on the field through injuries in pursuit of their back-to-back Super Bowl championships.
One of those players is cornerback Jaylen Watson.
On Wednesday, the second-year defensive back revealed that he tore the labrum in his left shoulder in Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
‘Was given the option to get surgery or try to play the remainder of the season,” Watson posted on X. “5 months later 2x Super Bowl Champ!! A lot of discomfort a lot of pain this year but worth every moment.”
Watson played in 16 games (two starts) and collected over 600 total snaps (440 on defense, 189 on special teams) in the 2023 season. He also recorded six pass deflections, two sacks and 33 tackles.
The Washington State product also collected a fumble recovery in Super Bowl LVIII.
Watson is used to playing through injury, though.
During the Chiefs’ playoff run last season, he made a one-handed interception to seal the Chiefs’ win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC Divisional Round.
His hand was taped during the game because it was broken, and he played through that injury as well.
The 25-year-old has already embarked on a significant journey to get to the NFL by going to junior college, committing to USC but failing to be eligible to play for the Trojans and going back home to Augusta, Georgia to work at Wendy’s for his mother.
Watson started for six games as a seventh-round rookie in 2022 when first-round rookie Trent McDuffie was out with an injury.
As the Chiefs look for ways to extend star cornerback L’Jarius Sneed or trade him, Watson has been a reliable player who they could need to step into a bigger role next season.