Chiefs camp: You want to root for L’Damian Washington

The Kansas City Chiefs signed former Mizzou wide receiver L’Damian Washington on Monday. The former Tigers star went undrafted in 2014 and bounced around to six different teams before signing with his seventh team, the Chiefs.

Washington, who just turned 24 years old in May has quite a bit of upside at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds but has been plagued with injuries since entering the league. He was initially picked up by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free-agent but injured his shoulder in June during camp and was let go a month later. The San Francisco 49ers then waived Jon Baldwin and picked him up only to let him go a few weeks later when they made final cuts.

On Sept. 16 the New York Giants signed Washington to their practice squad and then released him a couple of weeks later. Washington then signed with the Cleveland Browns on Oct. 21 and was released Nov. 25. Finally, Washington signed with the Miami Dolphins for another short stint and then signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers at the beginning of the year before being cut in May due to a calf injury (Washington told reporters on Tuesday that the calf was split in half).

So Washington has bounced around and couldn’t crack the roster of a Browns or Dolphins team which lacked talent at the wide receiver position.  This could cause some reason for doubt in Washington making the Chiefs roster. That won’t stop me however from rooting for the guy.

Washington fits the underdog persona like a glove with all the uphill battles he’s faced in his life. Growing up in Shreveport, La. his father was murdered when Washington was at the age of five and then lost his mother when he was a teenager. Washington and his three brothers made a decision to stick together after losing their mom and got an apartment.  At that point Washington had the green light to excuse himself from any dreams he was going to pursue due to uncontrollable circumstances.

He decided to go on the path less traveled and pursued a goal where he ended up getting a scholarship to Mizzou as only a two-star athlete. Washington started two seasons at Mizzou and caught  a total of 72 balls for 1,296 yards and 12 touchdowns.

His biggest game of the 2014 season came against SEC East conference foe South Carolina where he had seven catches for 115 yards and two touchdowns. What scouting reports will tell you is he’s fast and a deep threat with his size but doesn’t track balls well and uses his body to catch. Sounds a bit similar to former Chiefs first-round bust Jon Baldwin.

Washington joins an already well-decorated Chiefs team of Mizzou alumni with Chase Daniel, Jeremy Maclin, and Mitch Morse. Washington is hoping that he can increase the number of Tigers on this Kansas City team but it’s going to take a lot of work as he’ll be one of 11 receivers battling for jobs.

Washington, who was interviewed after his first practice on Tuesday, said he got a call from the Chiefs after leaving church on Sunday and had just gone to the front of congregation to pray for him. After working out Monday for the Chiefs he impressed them enough to get signed.

“As I was running routes, one of the scouts said, ‘Man, whoever did your surgery or helped you with your rehab, you need to personally call them and thank them,’” Washington told the media scrum.

On Tuesday, Washington tweeted “If you know the details of my leg surgery then you know to be in this position was nothing but God!” Washington was given another chance and in the NFL these opportunities become increasingly hard to come by.

With injuries keeping Junior Hemingway and Chris Conley out of practice, Kansas City needed another body and gave Washington a call. It’s up to him to make the most of it as he controls his destiny.