Rams stars get emotional over Jaylen Watson’s devastating injury: ‘We’re going to do it for him’

The Los Angeles Rams didn’t just lose a starting cornerback when Jaylen Watson underwent season-ending shoulder surgery Wednesday. They lost their muscle, their swagger and, as Matthew Stafford put it, their enforcer.

“He’s a big-time talent and a guy that was an enforcer for us on the edge,” said Stafford of Watson. “He’s a guy that brought it every single day, a guy that’ll be missed for sure.”

For a defense already battered by injuries, losing the two-time Super Bowl champion was another gut punch. But inside the Rams locker room, the reaction went beyond football. Watson wasn’t merely a teammate. He was a brother, and now, motivation to win.

“We have to keep pushing forward and really do it for him now,” said Rams’ safety and team captain Quentin Lake. “Be able to go out there, play hard, play fast for him, because that’s exactly what he would want us to do.”

Stafford will miss Watson’s physicality day in and day out. 

“He’s a really talented player, really physical corner who tackles,” Stafford said Wednesday. “He had some fantastic games for us this season.”

Head coach Sean McVay painted a picture of Watson’s toughness that explained why his absence will sting.

During the Rams’ Week 7 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, Watson was cramping badly enough to require intravenous fluids. His response?

“Give me half a bag. I need to get back out there,” Watson told the medical staff, according to McVay.

That’s the kind of player the Rams are losing.

“You’ll miss the production, the toughness,” McVay said. “His overall vibe and his swag.”

McVay explained that another shoulder dislocation carried a significant risk of further damage, making surgery the right decision despite Watson’s desire to continue playing.

“He’s such an amazing teammate, an amazing person, and the loss of his presence is definitely going to be felt,” Lake told the California Post in an exclusive interview.

Lake revealed he texted Watson after learning the news.

“I said, ‘Man, it’s only God’s plan, and at the end of the day, you have to trust in that.'”

Cornerback Josh Wallace witnessed the painful injury firsthand.

“I was right there standing over him, seeing him in pain,” Wallace told the California Post. “We’re praying for him. Hope he has a speedy recovery.”

Emmanuel Forbes Jr., who figures to shoulder additional responsibility alongside Wallace, described the heartbreak of losing someone he’d grown close to throughout the offseason.

“It was hard learning that one of our brothers was out for the season,” Forbes told the Post.

Still, Forbes insisted the secondary remains confident in its ability to survive another devastating injury.

Linebacker Byron Young went one step further, dedicating the remainder of the season to Watson, injured defensive tackle Poona Ford and the other teammates whose seasons have ended prematurely.

“I hate to lose a guy like that, but we’re going to keep going,” Young said. “We’re going to do it for him.”

Watson’s season is over, but his influence isn’t. Lake believes the veteran’s football intelligence and leadership can continue helping the secondary from the sidelines during his recovery.

And while the Rams can replace Watson’s snaps, replacing his physicality, leadership and unmistakable presence won’t be nearly as simple.

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