Report: Chiefs' Watson to undergo ankle surgery, likely done for year

Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson will undergo surgery in the coming days to repair a broken ankle, sources told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.

There's an outside chance Watson could return for a late-season playoff push, but his campaign is likely over, Fowler adds.

Watson was spotted in the locker room on crutches following the Chiefs' win over the San Francisco 49ers after playing only 59% of the snaps in the contest.

The 26-year-old won the starting cornerback job in training camp after Kansas City traded L'Jarius Sneed to the Tennessee Titans. Watson has surrendered only 208 yards while allowing a passer rating of 75.4 as the nearest defender, according to Pro Football Reference.

Watson has 32 tackles and six passes defended this season. The Chiefs selected the Washington State product in the seventh round of the 2022 draft.

Nazeeh Johnson is now slated to replace Watson as one of the starting cornerbacks.