KC Chiefs CB Jaylen Watson Played Through Injury in 2023-24, Confirmed Surgery
The Kansas City Chiefs dealt with their fair share of adversity en route to winning Super Bowl LVIII. Blood, sweat and tears were shed on the path to a second championship in a row, with a great deal of toughness being displayed by players along the way.
As it turns out, you can write cornerback Jaylen Watson's name at or near the top of that list.
Taking to X on Wednesday afternoon, the former seventh-round pick revealed that he played through almost the entire season with an injury. It's described by Watson as a torn labrum. The labrum is supposed to help keep the ball of the shoulder joint stable but for Watson, he didn't have that full benefit for his sophomore campaign. He also confirmed a successful surgery in his post.
"Surgery was a success I [tore] my labrum in week 2!!" Watson wrote. "Was given the option to get surgery or try to play the remainder of the season 5 months later 2x Super Bowl Champ!! A lot of discomfort a lot of pain this year but worth every moment 🎢"
After playing Weeks 1-3 and logging a combined 50 defensive snaps, Watson was held out of Week 4's win over the New York Jets. That was due to a shoulder injury, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to assume that the month of September was one filled with ups and downs as he got tasked with a monumental decision. Watson chose to finish out the year and play through the pain, participating in every single contest to close out the regular season and playoffs.
After returning from that Week 4 absence, Watson logged 390 snaps to end the regular season. In all, he posted a stat line of 33 tackles (two for loss), six passes defended, two quarterback hits and a pair of sacks. During the Chiefs' postseason run, he added another 92 defensive snaps and seven tackles on the back end of Steve Spagnuolo's secondary. He finished his second season in the league with a 56.3 completion percentage and 6.5 yards per target surrendered in coverage. Watson's missed tackle percentage of 5.7 was 4.6% lower than his rookie effort.
Recovery times and severities for torn labrums vary, so it's possible to determine how long Watson would've been on the shelf had he opted for in-season surgery. Regardless, him fighting past the discomfort and playing respectable football is a remarkable example of mental strength. As Kansas City has a formidable cornerback room headlined by L'Jarius Sneed (for the time being) and Trent McDuffie, Watson is a key depth piece. Now on the other side of surgery, he'll look to get back on the field by training camp and the 2024 preseason.
