Chiefs rookie Jaylen Watson: 'I woke up knowing I was going to get a pick' vs. Chargers
On Thursday night, Kansas City Chiefs rookie cornerback Jaylen Watson, filling in for injured Trent McDuffie, made the game's highlight-reel play, returning an interception 99 yards for a TD to break a 17-17 tie in the fourth quarter:
The Chiefs held on for a 27-24 victory.
Casual fans couldn't be blamed for not knowing Watson's name before Thursday's heroics. The product of the Washington State Cougars fell to the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft, when Kansas City selected him with the 243rd pick.
One might have expected Chargers QB Justin Herbert to test Watson early and often. Watson let it be known via his postgame comments that he was banking on that before kickoff.
"I woke up knowing I was going to get a pick, honestly," a confident Watson explained, according to Grant Gordon of the NFL's website. "I just knew, being a seventh-rounder, having my first start, I was going to get tested a lot and early, and I just felt I was going to get one today, and that's what happened. I was surprised. I still knew I was going to get one, but obviously I was surprised when it happened."
Gordon added that NFL Research showed Watson's score was the longest go-ahead fourth-quarter touchdown by a rookie in league history.
It's also one that propelled the Chiefs to a 2-0 record. They'll have extra time to prepare for the Indianapolis Colts on Sept. 25.
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