64 Days, 64 tackles by Jaylen Watson last year for Chiefs to make up
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - OCTOBER 19: Jaylen Watson #35 of the Kansas City Chiefs tackles Dont'e Thornton Jr. #10 of the Las Vegas Raiders on a first quarter pass catch during the NFL 2025 game between Las Vegas Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Kansas City, United States. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images) | Getty ImagesWe are 64 days away from the Kansas City Chiefs season-opening game against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football" in Week 1.
The No. 64 jersey was going to be worn by former Chiefs offensive tackle Wanya Morris before he was traded to the Atlanta Falcons this summer.
As a Super Bowl champion, he's among this group, but the No. 64 was originally donned by a league champion as well:
The top No. 64s in franchise history
Curt Merz (1962 - 1968)Merz won two AFL championships with the franchise, first as a defensive end with the Dallas Texans, then as a right guard with the 1966 Chiefs, who lost to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl I.
Billy Krisher (1960 - 1961)Rudy Niswanger (2006 - 2010)The best name of the group: Eric Kush (2013)64: Tackles by Jaylen Watson last season, the most of the cornerbacks
It remains to be seen how much the Chiefs' secondary will miss Los Angeles Rams cornerbacks Jaylen Watson and Trent McDuffie, who led the team's cornerbacks in tackles last season with 64 and 63, respectively. Those marks were the fifth and sixth-highest totals on the team.
Watson used physicality to succeed in Kansas City, whether it was effective press-man coverage or sound tackling on the perimeter against off-the-edge runs. In 2025, Watson missed tackles at a rate of 5.8%, according to Pro Football Focus. Only linebacker Drue Tranquill (3.7%) and safety Bryan Cook (5.6%) had lower rates among the defense.
This year's top pick has a high standard to meet, but rookie cornerback Mansoor Delane has more to focus on than pass coverage to fill the shoes of Watson on the outside. It will also be important to evaluate the tackling of the other cornerbacks on the roster during the preseason, remembering how essential that skill is to starting at cornerback in defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's scheme.