KC Chiefs: Jamaal Charles returning to Arrowhead brings mixed emotions
The KC Chiefs play on Monday Night Football against the Denver Broncos. Those same Broncos are the team in which former Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles currently plays for. It’s conflicting for a lot of Chiefs fans.
When it comes to the debate on whether to cheer or boo Jamaal Charles, I’m firmly on the side of cheering the guy. Charles, drafted in the third round by the KC Chiefs in 2008, went on to become the all-time leading rusher for this franchise and did so in a time when not many people were proud to be Chiefs.
When the Kansas City Chiefs inked Charles to an extension prior to the 2014 season, no one was complaining about that move. We all saw how quickly Charles diminished after that season though, and after only appearing in eight games in 2015 and 2016 combined, it was clear that it was time for both sides to move on.
Chiefs fans are probably pissed that Charles signed with the Denver Broncos and I don’t blame them. At the same time, however, it’s not like Charles chose to go to Denver on his own. He didn’t diss the Chiefs by choosing not to re-sign with them in free agency.
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Kansas City decided they didn’t need Charles anymore. They drafted his replacement in Kareem Hunt (who has made the loss seem like no big deal honestly) and Charles looked to be washed up, as some might say.
Where I became angry with Charles was his comments after signing with the Broncos. Denver was one of the few teams that appeared to be interested in Charles and after he inked a deal with them, Charles was quoted as saying he always wanted to play for the Broncos. That was what irritated me to no end.
Jamaal Charles speaks: "I always wanted to play for Denver."https://t.co/c3uwku6tPx#Broncos
— Predominantly Orange (@PredomOrange) May 2, 2017
Now, after seven weeks of the season, Charles has seemingly calmed down a bit after clearly feeling jilted by his old team. He said the other day that he wants to retire a Chief and hopes that Hunt breaks all of his records. Charles’ team is also 3-3 and their offense looks anemic.
Jamaal Charles has already spoken to the Hunt family about retiring as a Chief when he’s done playing.
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) October 26, 2017
If you’re going to the game on Monday and want to boo Jamaal Charles, I’d urge you not to. Think of the seasons in which he played for the Kansas City Chiefs and how much he was able to accomplish during that time.
In 2012, when the Chiefs went 2-14, Charles was the only reason worth tuning into games for. He WAS the Kansas City Chiefs that year. He was the offensive MVP in most seasons and rushed for over 1,000 yards in five of his first seven years in the league. What he did was incredible and that’s why Chiefs fans should still appreciate him… even if he is a Bronco now.
If Charles comes into Arrowhead and puts up over 100 yards and multiple touchdowns and cheers like a maniac, then that’s another story, but I don’t see him doing that. The Chiefs mean too much to him and I don’t see him wanting to tarnish his legacy with the Kingdom.