Arrowhead Pride
Returning from a torn ACL, the Kansas City defensive lineman is finding his rhythm — and earning praise.
Following his return from a torn ACL in late November, the Kansas City Chiefs have steadily integrated defensive lineman Charles Omenihu back into their lineup. His presence has already provided a spark for the team’s defense, earning praise from both coaches and teammates.
“You guys know how I feel about Charles,” defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo told reporters on Wednesday. “It’s good to get him back. It was going to take a little while to kind of ramp him up.”
Last season, Omenihu was a key contributor to the Kansas City pass rush. He finished with seven sacks, which was the team’s third-highest total. But after his injury in the AFC Championship, he missed the first 11 games of 2024 on the team’s Reserve/PUP (physically-unable-to-perform) list.
Since returning in the Week 13 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, Omenihu has logged 89 defensive snaps — close to half of the team’s total. While the veteran player is still shaking off some rust, Spagnuolo has been encouraged by his progress — and knows Omenihu’s contributions will be pivotal as the team approaches the playoffs.
“He’s playing a little bit more on first and second down now, which is a good thing for us when they decide to throw it,” noted the coordinator. “He’s getting better in the run game, and that takes a little while. Remember, he steps into this thing with really no padded practices since the Baltimore game a year ago — so that’s taken a little while — but I think he’s getting there and I’m glad we got him back. We just need everybody up front to kind of play like we did last week to help everybody else on the back end.”
So far, Omenihu has tallied three tackles — and in Sunday’s 21-7 win over the Cleveland Browns, recorded his first sack. He made a good move off the edge to force a strip-sack fumble, contributing to a dominant, five-sack, six-turnover performance by the Kansas City defense.
The milestone got the attention of his teammates — particularly fellow defensive lineman Chris Jones, who understands the importance of Omenihu finding his rhythm as the team prepares for the most critical stretch of its season.
“It was a big relief that Charles (Omenihu) got his first sack,” Jones said. “We were aiming to make sure Charles got his first sack to make sure he gets in a rhythm. We definitely need Charles playing his best — especially towards the end of the year and creeping up into the playoffs. It can be vital for our defensive line’s success. I think he’s continuing to do that.”
