Justin Watson remembered the play, the coverage, the feelings, everything.
It was more than a decade ago when his South Fayette Lions scored a 38-24 victory over Aliquippa in the 2013 Class AA championship game. But on Wednesday, in a 29-10 Chiefs victory over the Steelers at Acrisure Stadium, Watson caught a touchdown in the same part of the end zone.
The feeling was indescribable, Watson said. Against his hometown team. On a holiday. To help Kansas City build an early lead. And on a play the Chiefs (15-1) run quite a bit.
“It was so cool,” Watson said. “It brought back a bunch of really great memories, catching it on a post route on that same side of the field.”
Back in high school, Watson also remembered his scoring play coming on third down. This was a 3rd-and-4 play that capped a seven-play, 79-yard drive for the Chiefs.
Aliquippa dropped its coverage and seemed to lose track of him. Quarterback Brett Brumbaugh didn’t miss.
The stakes were a little higher this time.
“Special day,” Watson said. “Brought back so many good memories being here in Pittsburgh and at Heinz ... sorry, Acrisure Stadium.”
Watson, who has earned Super Bowl rings in three of the past four seasons (the first with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers), held a celebration at his grandma’s nursing home this past April.
It took place at Friendship Village of South Hills in Upper St. Clair. Watson took questions, posed for pictures with everyone who attended and even chatted a little Pirates with a reporter covering the event, his love for his hometown obvious.
But on Christmas Day, Watson moved the party to the North Shore, where he said 45 minutes or so after the game that he was still getting texts from friends and family who watched him catch a touchdown and a 49-yard pass from Patrick Mahomes earlier in the drive.
“A lot of people were probably rooting for the Steelers but happy for 84 ... on the Chiefs,” Watson said.
On Christmas Eve, Watson kept it low key, choosing to hang out with his aunt, who he said lives about five minutes from the team hotel. The conversation took him back to the many times he would work out by her house and they’d chat after those sessions.
“It reminded me of a lot of good memories and holidays sitting with her the day before the game,” Watson said.
In a pivotal game that helped the Chiefs’ season pick up steam, not to mention lock up the No. 1 seed in the AFC, Watson saved the memory-making for the field — at the Steelers’ expense.
Mahomes was well aware of Watson’s history here, on this field, and he was thrilled that the depth wideout was able to contribute in the win.
Former Steeler JuJu Smith-Schuster echoed similar thoughts when it came to Watson and the selfless role he plays for the Chiefs.
“He means a lot,” Smith-Schuster said. “It’s pretty cool to see a guy like that come back here. He played in this stadium before making it to the NFL. He’s a great leader in our room, a great role model. For him to make a few big plays, it helped a lot.”
The touchdown was the second of the season for Watson, who had three in 2023. His 60 receiving yards upped his season total to 284, the third-most of his career.
Watson has never been a flashy guy in the NFL. But he’s the type who does everything right, who keeps his head down and works and carries out the type of role he did on those plays — not the first option but knowing that the ball could easily come his way given how Mahomes operates.
“I put it out there and let him make a play,” Mahomes said. “I’m happy for him. This is home for him. To be able to make a couple plays and get a touchdown, it’s always special to get a touchdown in your home stadium.”
First Published: December 26, 2024, 10:30 a.m.
