KANSAS CITY, Mo. — All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie gave the scoreboard operator at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland some credit for his first career interception.
“For whatever reason, I somehow glanced up at the jumbotron, because it was a scramble drill, and just saw him launch it,” McDuffie said. “I was like, ‘That’s to my side,’ so let me just turn around and I caught the ball.”
“Him” in this case refers to Browns quarterback Jameis Winston, who threw three interceptions during Sunday’s 21-7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs before he was benched.
Winston, who finished 16 of 25 for 146 yards with no touchdowns and three picks, was trying to connect with Michael Woods II on a go route along the sideline in the end zone.
“I was going to look back eventually, but I couldn’t just tell by the way the receiver (Woods) was running — his eyes, he was just kind of lolling around,” McDuffie said, mimicking a jog. “So, I was like, ‘Was it a run? Did the pass already come out?’ I just peeked and he threw it up.”
McDuffie was a first-team AP All-Pro last season at slot cornerback despite not having an interception.
In fact, McDuffie — a 2022 first-round pick from Washington, who moved outside after L’Jarius Sneed's offseason trade — had never had an interception in any NFL game, a span of 48 regular and postseason games to start his career.
But he said finally getting one didn’t feel like a weight was lifted from his shoulders.
“Honestly, it wasn’t really weighing on me, for real,” McDuffie said. “I’m one of those guys — yeah, I want the picks [and] I want the turnovers, but however I can help my team, that’s what’s most important. I think that’s why I’m so happy. I got the pick, got the turnover, got the ball back to the offense.”
Kansas City led 21-7 but a touchdown there would have given Cleveland momentum.
“They were driving down the field, they were trying to get back in the game, really, and they were putting together a pretty good drive,” said McDuffie, who finished with four tackles and a game-best three passes defended. “Being able to get that pick and stop that momentum, for me, was huge.”
McDuffie’s three pass defenses tied his career high originally set Oct. 8, 2023, in a win at Minnesota, according to Pro Football Reference.
He recognized that snagging that first pick was an emotional moment more than two and a half years in the making, but now he has to figure out what to do with the ball.
“I’ve got to do something with it,” McDuffie said. “[Equipment assistant] Niko [Barber] grabbed it after, so I haven’t seen it yet. But once I leave here, I’m going to tell him, ‘Go get me that football so I can sleep with it tonight.’'"
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