Watson is no stranger to fighting through injuries. Last season, he suffered a broken fibula and tibia that sidelined him for most of the regular season. Still, he managed to recover in time for the postseason, pushing through pain for a chance to help Kansas City pursue a third straight Super Bowl victory.

“It was pretty challenging,” Watson admitted. “But I was just trying to get out there and fight for my teammates. We had one shot to make history [and] came short. But I wouldn’t change it.”

Now entering his fourth year, Watson is taking a steady approach to training camp, focusing on the small improvements that come with each rep.

“It’s going pretty well,” Watson said of this year’s practices in St. Joseph. “The great part of football is you can never perfect it. You can always strive to get better. I’ve just been doing that.”

Watson hopes to carry that mindset into Friday night’s matchup — which is less about the result than it is about sharpening timing and communication before Week 1.

“It’s good to have those game reps, so we want to get as many as possible,” Watson noted. “I don’t know how long we’re going to play, but we’re just going to try to take advantage of it. Get the chemistry going with the guys that haven’t been here before and show them how things are done here.”

Following the preseason, the Chiefs will open the regular season with a matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers in São Paulo, Brazil. But despite this upcoming challenge against a division rival, Watson insists his focus remains firmly on the present. After missing significant time last year, he’s keeping his preparation simple — and building himself little by little.

“I keep up a little bit, but I’m trying to focus on the next day,” Watson said of the season opener against the Chargers. “I’m trying to focus on getting through this practice — [and] hustling to the ball one play at a time.”