Dominate the Super Bowl-Chapter 1658 - 1657: Not a Single One Less

Finally, Watt found his voice.

It was somewhat unfamiliar, because this wasn’t the Houston Texans’ locker room; but the faint sense of familiarity and security allowed his tense nerves to relax. Perhaps the fact that it wasn’t the Houston Texans’ locker room was a good thing, a whole new beginning, which meant he wouldn’t repeat the nightmares of the past.

Dimly, Watt could sense the eyes on him from behind, making him subtly straighten up and open his shoulders, becoming more confident.

"The game is not just your game; losing shouldn’t be just your responsibility either."

"Every one of us has a responsibility for today’s game."

"It’s not that we didn’t play well, we still contested until the final moments; but at critical times, we didn’t bring out the necessary state and intensity."

"Maybe... I don’t know... maybe after breaking the winning streak record last week, everyone’s nerves relaxed; maybe our focus was already on the Buffalo Bills next week, so much so that we overlooked the ability of our divisional rival; maybe we’ve become numb from winning all the time..."

"I don’t know, because I didn’t experience those winning streaks, nor did I experience the taste of the Super Bowl, so you guys should tell me."

A small self-deprecating comment sparked a low laughter in the locker room.

Even the corners of Li Wei’s mouth lifted, "If that’s our excuse, then what’s your excuse for underperforming?"

Watt spread his hands and shrugged, "Maybe I’m not as good as I imagined, maybe I should abandon my previous playing style, maybe I need help from my teammates, maybe I need to blend more with the team’s tactics, if you’re looking for reasons in me, there are many loopholes."

This was beyond self-deprecation, and the laughter that had just risen quickly subsided.

Watt noticed.

Watt waved his hand, "Don’t worry, those attacks, those comments on social media, I’ve always seen them. Even if I don’t want to, they still appear, so rookies are smart enough never to use social media."

"What I mean is, I’m no longer the JJ-Watt I used to be. I need to become a part of the team, I need to cooperate with the team’s tactics within my capabilities, hoping I can be a source of motivation for the team, rather than a burden or obstacle."

Those attacks, those hurts, ultimately touched Watt, even if he appeared strong and resilient, he was still flesh and blood.

Then, Watt noticed the commotion behind him.

Turning around, Watt saw Chris Jones and Frank Clark silently standing behind him, without words or actions, just quietly standing behind him, expressing silent support through their actions.

It turned out, this was the Kansas City Chiefs’ locker room, a silent yet powerful strength built an unbreakable bond among them.

A warm stream flowed through his heart, and for the first time, Watt was sure that joining the Kansas City Chiefs was the right decision.

Exhaling gently, Watt looked at Li Wei again, "I mean, we need to face the situation in front of us together."

"I wouldn’t call it a predicament because it’s just one game, and one game is far from enough to put us in a predicament."

"The season is long, we still have plenty of time to adjust, plenty of challenges to face. If we don’t want the current situation to turn into a predicament, we need to unite and face this defeat together, face those attacks together."

"Rookie, you’re not alone."

Pausing, Watt looked at Li Wei with sincerity across his face. If words weren’t enough to express his heart, then he’d use his gaze and expression to convey it.

"If the media and fans want to criticize us, you don’t need and shouldn’t face it alone. Let them target me instead, I’m an obvious target, let them attack me, don’t worry, I’m not a Barbie Doll, I won’t collapse from some attacks by failures online."

Watt was clearly aware that the attacks on social media weren’t as simple as they sounded, those words were pure hatred, naked hatred, not only personal attacks but even targeting the depths of the soul.

But Watt still stood up, because he knew he had to stand out, he couldn’t let Li Wei face that vicious and cruel hatred alone.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, Watt noticed a figure step forward—

It was Kelsey, "And me."

With head held high and chest puffed up, Kelsey confidently lifted his chin, beaming with a bright smile.

Hill looked at Kelsey’s back, grumbling in frustration, "Damn, Travis, you stole the stylish moment. What am I supposed to do?"

Grumbling aside, Hill still took a step forward, raising his right hand high, "And me. If they’re not satisfied, let them blame me."

Brilland squeezed out of the crowd, bouncing twice on the spot, "Me, me, and me too."

Chris Jones quietly walked two steps forward, standing alongside Watt. Despite staying silent, Chris Jones’s bright eyes had already betrayed his emotion.

One after another, they stepped forward, heads up, chest out, shoulders open, suddenly crowded with sincerity conveyed through action.

Mahomes had been standing by Li Wei’s side all along, now he too was impassioned and fiery, patting Li Wei’s shoulder and silently stepping forward to join the ranks of Watt and Kelsey, turning to gaze at Li Wei, his smile fully bloomed, standing tall and speaking out loudly.

"And me."

One move, one voice, that’s all, but Mahomes had never been so happy and relieved to be a part of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Kelsey bumped Mahomes’s shoulder, grumbling in complaint, "You sly guy, sneaking over here, not showing any brotherly spirit, you owe me dinner."

Before Mahomes could counter, Kelsey had already shouted, "Yeah, yeah, blame the quarterback, the quarterback should be the scapegoat."

Ha ha, everyone burst into laughter.

Li Wei stood quietly, watching the scene unfold, not that he didn’t want to speak, but he didn’t know what to say. Words stirred and circled in his chest, it was moving, it was happiness, it was passion, but for the first time, Li Wei didn’t know how to express his feelings with words.

Kelsey noticed, leading the crowd with mock bravado, "Look, the rookie’s gonna cry, the rookie’s gonna cry!"

Li Wei was teased and taunted but remained unfazed, spreading his hands openly, "As if you’ve never seen it before, but I bet you’ve never seen me cry and pump my fist at the same time, have you? Want to experience it?"

Kelsey: ...

Ha ha ha, ha ha ha.

Everyone around burst into laughter, each pointing at Kelsey in playful aggravation.

Kelsey was struck speechless, but this time, he didn’t argue back, rather he looked at Li Wei, a smile lifting at the corners of his mouth.

"Rookie, remember?"

"You said football is a team sport, no one person can be a superhero saving the world, no one should bear it all alone."

"Before, you always stood at the front, blocking all attacks for us, leading the team forward; now it’s our turn to enjoy the spotlight a little, right?"

"Facing victory together, facing defeat together, no one left behind, right?"