JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Parker Washington delivered the longest return under the NFL’s new kickoff rules — an ankle-breaking, 73-yarder that set up an early touchdown — and the Jacksonville Jaguars beat two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs 26-13 in a preseason game Saturday night.
Washington made at least five tacklers miss before finally going down at the Chiefs’ 30-yard line. Trevor Lawrence found running back Travis Etienne for a 9-yard score four plays later to give the Jaguars the two biggest highlights of the game.
Chiefs receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, who signed a one-year, $7 million contract in March, landed awkwardly on a shoulder following an 11-yard reception on the opening play and did not return.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce and Kansas City’s other starters played a series before watching the rest from the sideline. Mahomes drove the Chiefs into field-goal range and might have done more had Rashee Rice not dropped a third-down pass over the middle.
Washington, meanwhile, made the most of every opportunity.
The second-year pro, a sixth-round draft pick in 2023 from Penn State, turned heads with the kickoff return and then added a 13-yard punt return. He later chipped in a 10-yard catch in which he slipped out of Keith Taylor’s grasp.
The Jaguars have raved about Washington since training camp opened, and he showed up under the lights. He’s expected to be the team’s No. 4 receiver in a room that includes Christian Kirk, Gabe Davis and first-round rookie Brian Thomas Jr.
Washington gave the Chiefs plenty to work on moving forward. Covering kickoffs has to be an area of emphasis for them.
After Jacksonville went ahead 18-10 on C.J. Beathard’s 44-yard TD pass to speedster Devin Duvernay, Mecole Hardman tried to down a kickoff that bounced in and out of the end zone. Officials huddled, checked the replay and ruled it a safety.
“I think that’s kind of the first time that’s ever happened,” Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said at halftime. “With the new kickoff rule, the ball is always live, even when it hits in the end zone.”
Jacksonville’s Tank Bigsby looked like he was going to return the ensuing kickoff for a score — kicker Harrison Butker showed no interest in trying to tackle the 215-pound running back — but Bigsby tripped near midfield.
QUESTIONABLE CALL
Officials overturned Jaguars cornerback Christian Braswell’s 52-yard fumble return for a touchdown late in the third. Braswell stripped the ball from Nikko Remigio following a 29-yard reception in which he landed on the ground and got up to gain more yards.
Officials ruled Braswell touched Remigio while he was still on the ground, but few in the stands and none on Jacksonville’s sideline agreed.
ROOKIE WATCH
Thomas, the 23rd overall pick in April from LSU, had the catch of the night for Jacksonville. Thomas hauled in a 41-yarder from Beathard in the first quarter despite having cornerback Joshua Williams draped all over him. Williams was flagged for pass interference. It was Thomas’ lone reception.
Kansas City’s Xavier Worthy, selected five picks after Thomas, started but wasn’t even targeted in the game.
NOTABLE INJURIES
The Jaguars held out eight players, including starting defensive backs Darnell Savage (shoulder) and Tyson Campbell (ankle). They also held out two starting offensive linemen: left guard Ezra Cleveland (heel) and right tackle Anton Harrison (concussion protocol).
Second-year linebacker Ventrell Miller, who missed all of last season after tearing his right Achilles tendon, left the game briefly with a right shoulder injury but later returned.
Chiefs guard McKade Mettauer limped off the field in the fourth with a left knee injury after getting caught in a pile. Rookie linebacker Curtis Jacobs also was shaken up late.
UP NEXT
The Chiefs host Detroit next Saturday.
The Jaguars host Tampa Bay next Saturday.
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