It’s been a long time coming, but Kansas City Chiefs CB Trent McDuffie finally has his first career interception. But McDuffie revealed the play didn’t come unassisted, and you’ll never believe where that assistance came from.
With just over 13 minutes to go in the third quarter, Browns QB Jameis Winston launched a football toward the end zone. McDuffie was trailing his man to the end zone, and he just so happened to know exactly when to twist and turn to make the pick.
“Coming into this week, I think everybody knew we had a good shot at getting some turnovers,” McDuffie said. “And, man, right place, right time.”
It was more than just the right place, the right time, though. McDuffie got some help on the play from perhaps the unlikeliest of places. It wasn’t anything you’d expect, like a teammate, film study, or even Winston being a turnover machine. It was the foresight to glance up as he was covering his man to see the play unfold on the big screen.
“During the play, I was in man-to-man,” McDuffie continued. “And the funny thing is, for whatever reason, I somehow glanced up at the Jumbotron because it was a scramble drill, and I just saw him launch it. And I was like, ‘That’s to my side, so let me just turn around and. . .'”
The result of the play was McDuffie’s first career interception, with the receiver draped all over him and his facemask. The moment for McDuffie was one that he’d remember for a long time, not just because it was his first-ever pick in the NFL but because of the situation.
“Special,” McDuffie said. “You know what I mean, a lot of emotions. One, just like we did it, you know what I mean, finally did it after two and a half years. But also during the time when I did it. They’re driving down the field. They’re trying to get back into the game, really, and they’re putting together a pretty good drive. So being able to get that pick and kind of stop that momentum, for me, was huge.”
McDuffie, of course, kept the ball. While he doesn’t have plans for it yet, he says that he’s sure he’ll do something with it. As for the Jumbotron, it won’t get an assist in the score column, but perhaps some defenders will now know to glance up to the scoreboard when they visit Huntington Bank Field. They just might come away with an interception.
