The pinnacle of NFL trash-talk season coincides with the Super Bowl, especially between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles — teams that last faced each other in a heated Lombardi battle just two years ago. Some players, like Kansas City Chiefs Jaylen Watson, prefer to be vague about it.
Chiefs’ Jaylen Watson Warns Eagles WRs A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith Ahead of Super Bowl
Much has been made of the Philadelphia Eagles boasting the dynamic pass-catching duo of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, who’ve combined for double-digit receptions in multiple games this season.
It appears Watson is ready to put an end to that on Feb. 9.
We’ll see…
— Wat’s Island🏝 (@JaylenWatson12) January 31, 2025
“We’ll see,” Watson posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
One Chiefs fan believes Watson’s tweet surrounds the hype following Brown and Smith from the regular season into the playoffs and now the main event.
“I’m assuming this is in response to all that double-digit talk, and I love it! You tell them, King!” one Chiefs fan responded.
“10 days, Jaylen. Can’t wait to see you prove the doubters wrong in New Orleans,” another Chiefs fan wrote.
10 days Jaylen🔥 Can’t wait to see you prove the doubters wrong in New Orleans😈 https://t.co/S955arZpeu
— Daily Chiefs Stats (@DailyChiefsStat) January 31, 2025
An Eagles fan chimed in, goading Watson with a GIF of Smith: “Lmaoo, this man is about to cook you. You can’t guard AJ or Smitty. I’m sorry.”
Watson’s Return to Action is Perfect Timing for Kansas City Chiefs Defense
Losing players for any amount of time is devastating, but when your roster is as good as the Chiefs’ and next-man-up doesn’t skip a beat, it’s just a matter of getting the sidelined players healthy. Rashee Rice, Marquise Brown, Isiah Pacheco, Jawaan Taylor, D.J. Humphries, and Watson are among the players who have missed time this year.
After Watson fractured his ankle in the Week 7 game against the San Francisco 49ers, he feared being sidelined for the rest of the season. Surprisingly, Kansas City activated him off the injured reserve ahead of Week 18 and suited him up for the playoffs.
He was eased into action, playing 59% of snaps in the Divisional Round and 71% in the Conference Championship. With two weeks between their narrow victory over the Buffalo Bills and the Super Bowl, Watson will be as close to 100% as possible.
Chiefs Secondary Struggled Without Watson
In the six games Watson played this season before getting hurt, he had 32 tackles and allowed just 53.3% of the targets getting completed against him. He allowed a passer rating of 75.4 when targeted and played 91% of the Chiefs’ snaps on defense.
Watson and Trent McDuffie form one of the league’s most underrated yet impactful cornerback duos. The Chiefs’ defense allowed 17.1 points per game in the first six games of the season, but the defense struggled after Watson’s injury. The team allowed 20.5 points per game in the next six games, and there were visible issues in the secondary.
Watson was 19 picks away from being labeled Mr. Irrelevant of the 2022 NFL Draft and 20 picks away from going undrafted. He earned a Super Bowl ring as a rookie, then again in his second season. He doesn’t know what it’s like to be on the losing side at the Super Bowl, and he doesn’t want to start now.