JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Parker Washington delivered the longest return under the NFL’s new kickoff rules – an ankle-breaking 73-yard kick that set up an early touchdown – and the Jacksonville Jaguars defeated the two-time Super Bowl defending champion Kansas City Chiefs 26-13 in a preseason game Saturday night.
Washington dropped at least five tacklers before finally going down at the Chiefs’ 30-yard line. Trevor Lawrence found running back Travis Etienne four plays later for a 9-yard touchdown, giving 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 his shoulder after an 11-yard pass in the opening play and did not return.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce and the other Kansas City starters ran a series before watching the rest from the sidelines. Mahomes got the Chiefs within field goal range and might have had more had Rashee Rice not thrown a third-down pass over the middle.
Meanwhile, Washington made the most of every opportunity.
The second-year pro, a sixth-round draft pick in 2023 out of Penn State, turned heads with his kickoff return and then added a 13-yard punt return, before later adding a 10-yard catch that slipped out of Keith Taylor’s hand.
The Jaguars have been raving about Washington since training camp began, and he showed up under the lights. He’s expected to be the team’s fourth receiver, in a room that includes Christian Kirk, Gabe Davis and first-round rookie Brian Thomas Jr.
Washington has given the Chiefs a lot of work to do in the future. One of their main focuses must be securing kickoffs.
After Jacksonville took an 18-10 lead on CJ Beathard’s 44-yard touchdown pass to speedster Devin Duvernay, Mecole Hardman attempted to intercept a kickoff that bounced in and out of the end zone. The referees conferred, reviewed the replay and ruled it a safety.
“I think this is the first time something like this has happened,” Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said at halftime. “With the new kickoff rule, the ball is always in play, even if it hits the end zone.”
It looked like Jacksonville’s Tank Bigsby would return the ensuing kickoff for a point — kicker Harrison Butker showed no interest in tackling the 215-pound running back — but Bigsby stumbled near the halfway line.
DOUBTFUL CALL
The referees awarded Jaguars cornerback Christian Braswell’s 52-yard fumble return late in the third quarter as a touchdown. Braswell stripped the ball from Nikko Remigio after he caught a 29-yard pass, hit the ground and got up to gain more yards.
The referees ruled that Braswell had touched Remigio while he was still on the ground. Few in the stands and no one on the Jacksonville sideline agreed.
ROOKIE WATCH
Thomas, selected 23rd overall out of LSU in April, caught the ball of the night for Jacksonville. Thomas caught a 41-yard pass from Beathard in the first quarter despite cornerback Joshua Williams overpowering him. Williams was penalized for pass interference. It was Thomas’ only catch.
Kansas City’s Xavier Worthy, selected five picks after Thomas, started but was not targeted once in the game.
Notable injuries
The Jaguars were without eight players, including defensive backs Darnell Savage (shoulder) and Tyson Campbell (ankle), and two offensive linemen: left guard Ezra Cleveland (heel) and right tackle Anton Harrison (concussion protocol).
Second-year linebacker Ventrell Miller missed all of last season due to a torn right Achilles tendon and had to briefly leave the game due to an injury to his right shoulder, but later returned.
Chiefs guard McKade Mettauer limped off the field in the fourth inning with a left knee injury after getting caught in a pile. Rookie linebacker Curtis Jacobs was also shaken up near the end.
Next
The Chiefs host Detroit next Saturday.
The Jaguars host Tampa Bay next Saturday.
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