The return of Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Charles Omenihu during last week’s victory over the Las Vegas Raiders added another much-needed pass rusher to the lineup. He spoke for the first time on Wednesday to the media since returning to the field to reflect on his injury recovery.
“I feel good, I feel good, I don’t have any soreness; there’s no swelling,” said Omenihu. “Greg (Carbin) and Tiff (Morton) (Chiefs training staff) have been marvelous in the process of getting me back and getting to the point where I can play 34 snaps and feel good and have no trouble. Today [and] throughout the weekend, I was all good.”
Omenihu was an effective player on the defensive line when he was on the field after a suspension cost him six games to start last season. He efficiently finished third on the team in sacks and is expected to fulfill that role now that he’s back on the field and through his first game of 2024.
“I mean, my expectations were to play really well. Did I meet my own personal expectations? Probably not,” said Omenihu. “I’ve got to sometimes give myself grace (since) that I hadn’t played in…I saw somebody said 308 days. It’s been a long time since I’ve played. You’ve got to be realistic, but my foot’s on the gas, man. I’ve gotta go. That’s my mentality.”
Omenihu’s return could have affected Chris Jones’s performance, as he ended his sack drought by collecting two against Las Vegas.