Pats Pulpit
Walking into the Caesars Superdome was a special moment for Efton Chism III.
After spending the first five weeks of his rookie season on the inactive list, Chism finally got his shot on the game-day roster Sunday. The magnitude of the moment truly hit him on the way in.
“Walking in, seeing the whole environment, it was pretty surreal,” Chism said. “The preseason was awesome to get those reps, and to get my mind right that way, but then, to get that opportunity to go out there and help the team anyway I can was pretty special.”
Chism’s primary role Sunday came as a kick returner, filling in after the Patriots lost Antonio Gibson to a season-ending ACL tear the week prior.
After spending most of the offseason working as a punt returner, Chism had been getting kick-return reps in practice and sensed his opportunity was coming. He officially learned Friday that he’d be active and went on to record five returns for 129 yards.
“It wasn’t something totally new to me,” Chism, who returned 31 kicks in college, said. “I’ve done it before. Kind of just go out there and be a ballplayer. It’s all football at the end of the day. Just make sure you make good decisions back there, and try and get the ball back to the offense.”
Chism’s best play as a returner, however, may have come on his first opportunity, as he let a low, line drive kick bounce in the end zone and off the goal post (where he then took a knee for safe keeping) for a touchback, setting New England offense up at the 35-yard line.
“It was a little tricky,” he said. “I feel like he kind of hit a little dirty ball — a little sideways spin on it. And we were getting close to the end zone too, so trying to make sure you make a good decision when you’re back there too. If I know it’s going to go in the end zone, let it go in the end zone and take a knee.”
In the 25-19 win over the Saints, Chism went on to total 12 snaps on special teams and just two on offense — both coming in victory formation. While the undrafted rookie did not see any time at wide receiver as the current sixth option on the depth chart, he has spent the early portions of the season continuing to develop on the scout team.
“I feel like I’ve grown every day. Always working on my blocking, my route running — whatever I can each and every day,” Chism said. “It’s such a blessing just to go against some of the best guys in the National Football League every day. Being on scout team with [Carlton Davis], Marcus Jones, Christian Gonzalez — all those guys out there, those are invaluable reps that I don’t take for granted. Just continue to get better each and every day.”
