Video games and professional sports have a lot in common, and Kansas City Chiefs player JuJu Smith-Schuster has acknowledged exactly that. The wide receiver for the AFC West team mentioned Call of Duty: Warzone in the team's recent press conference after a victory against the San Francisco 49ers. The 2018 Pro Bowl attendant told the press how playing Call of Duty translated into success on the field.
Call of Duty: Warzone is the soon-to-be previous-generation battle royale title in Activision's popular first-person shooter franchise. It was the first standalone battle royale title from the studio after introducing the genre to Call of Duty players in Black Ops 4 with Blackout mode. Activision is currently readying the launch of Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0, the battle royale counterpart to Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer.
Professional athletes don't always come to mind when talking about gamers, but it's well-known that many athletes like to let loose playing games in their free time. While many professional sports teams have a grueling travel schedule, it also means that athletes spend a lot of time without their families and looking for activities. Gaming is undoubtedly one of the more popular pastimes among them, and first-person shooters like Call of Duty: Warzone seem to be a popular choice - in addition to sports games.
That was the case with four of the most prominent Chiefs players that had been spending extracurricular time together. The game of choice was Call of Duty: Warzone, where JuJu Smith-Schuster, quarterback Patrick Mahomes, arguable future Hall of Famer Travis Kelce, and another wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling took on 60 other gamers. According to Smith-Schuster, the KC gaming team managed three consecutive wins, which in any battle royale is a feat worthy of praise, assuming there weren't any Warzone exploits used.
However, for Smith-Schuster and his fellow Chiefs, this was more than a laid-back late night of gaming. Instead, it seemed like a team-building exercise and a good one at that. Not only did teammates help each other to win Call of Duty: Warzone games, but according to Smith-Schuster, it helped even on the field. The atmosphere from the battle royal victories followed into the game against the 49ers, which they won handily 44-23.
As Call of Duty: Warzone is the go-to choice for at least these Chiefs, the upcoming weeks and months are an exciting time for the four-man team, as they likely are waiting for the release of Warzone 2.0. If Smith-Schuster's excitement is any indication, Al Mazrah is likely going to be a future battlefield for these NFL players.
Call of Duty: Warzone is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.