The Denver Broncos host the Kansas City Chiefs at Empower Field at Mile High for their Week 8 matchup of the 2026 season. CBS has assigned its lead broadcast team to the AFC West showdown, with Jim Nantz handling play-by-play, J.J. Watt serving as the analyst, and Tracy Wolfson reporting from the sidelines. However, before the CBS crew could even make its way to the press box, Watt found himself in an unusual situation.

The NFL legend attempted to enter the stadium for an early-morning walk but was surprisingly turned away by security because he didn’t have the required credentials. Watt told the story to former NFL lineman Kyle Long, just hours before kickoff.

Watt said on The NFL Today+, in a clip shared by NFL on CBS on X, that he takes a morning walk and was up early, and that the daylight saving time change meant he did not head out at 6 a.m. as usual. As he walked, he spotted the stadium in the distance, decided it was a beautiful day, and chose to head over. He arrived without a credential, since he had not planned to go inside, and security told him to go through screening. He ran a facial scan, and the system lit up green and welcomed him to the stadium by name.

“So I start to walk in, and they go, ‘Sorry, sorry, you can’t come in,'” Watt shared. “And I said, ‘Why not?’ They said, ‘You don’t have a credential,’ and I said, ‘I just scan my face.’ They said, ‘I’m in,’ and they said, ‘I’m sorry. We can’t.’ So an employee walks over and goes, ‘I’ll escort him onto the field,’ and they’re like, ‘No, if he doesn’t have a credential, he can’t get in. So respect to the Broncos security staff. But I couldn’t get into the stadium this morning. So I still haven’t been on the field yet.”

The league has an official NFL Events Credential Program, which explains how credentials and biometric authentication work at NFL venues. For broader context, the credentialing system exists to provide authorized access to designated areas inside stadiums and other NFL venues.

These designated areas can include locker rooms, playing fields, and press boxes. Facial recognition analyzes facial images and facial geometry to authenticate individuals seeking access. The league first established facial recognition technology across all 32 NFL stadiums in 2024.

According to a PolitiFact fact-check, NFL Communications Director Tim Schlittner explained that the system was intended for people holding working credentials, including team personnel, game-day personnel, vendors, and media members. That’s why, while Watt cleared the facial recognition, the Broncos’ security staff still denied him entry because he didn’t have credentials.

“That’s gotta be the only person in the history of the universe to successfully block J.J. Watt,” Kyle Long joked after Watt finished telling the incident.

While Watt respected the security staff’s decision, the incident occurred at an interesting point. CBS just signed Watt to a multiyear deal as its lead analyst. Earlier, the network had parted ways with Tony Romo, prompting Watt to cover the 2026 season alongside Nantz. However, Watt will remain CBS’ lead analyst for many more years to come.

“I am incredibly honored and grateful to have the opportunity to represent CBS Sports and all of the fantastic people who make this place so special,” Watt said in a statement after signing the deal. “From the brotherhood of ‘The NFL Today’ to my crews calling games, I couldn’t ask for better teammates alongside me on this television journey. I am thankful to David Berson for his leadership, vision, and trust. I love this job and can’t wait to see ya Sunday with Jim and Tracy and many more Sundays to come!”

During the Broncos-Chiefs clash, CBS has a major presence at Empower Field. The network has planned a substantial pregame broadcast operation at Empower Field, including The NFL Today and The NFL Today+, with Jim Nantz, Watt, and Tracy Wolfson handling the broadcast duties. For Watt, however, the day started interestingly even before he reached the broadcasting booth.