The Kansas City Chiefs' disappointing loss to the Tennessee Titans had no shortage of underachieving veterans on display. The game served as a reminder of how much work lies ahead of general manager Brett Veach in the 2026 offseason, which includes revamping an underachieving pass rush. Veteran disruptor Charles Omenihu has played a role in those struggles, highlighted by a forgettable Week 16 showing.
This past weekend was an important chance for Omenihu to turn the corner playing a soft Titans offensive line in what is a contract year. If the veteran was ever going to save his season and give the Chiefs reason to believe he was an answer, this was the moment. Instead, he only generated one pressure and missed his lone tackling attempt, per Pro Football Focus.
Omenihu's 48.2 PFF grade was also the fifth-worst overall defensive mark on the team. Grades aren't the end-all, be-all; however, the vet's latest performance encapsulates how bad he's been this season.
Watching the defensive line play, so often you could see Omenihu out of position or being bullied by the offensive line. He was unable to win his matchups and looked incredibly overmatched in a game that should've served as an opportunity to get his season back on track. Now, it's hard to like his prospects heading into an uncertain offseason.
Chiefs Must Move on from Charles Omenihu This Offseason
The Titans rushed for 164 yards, further exposing the fact that not only can Omenihu not get to the quarterback, but when challenged, the defender offered little resistance in stopping the run. When a player can't do anything well, there's little reason to run things back.
It wasn't just fans noticing the regression from Omenihu, either, with coaches decreasing the defender's snaps down to 45.2%, which was his second-lowest share of the season. With rookie Ashton Gillotte consistently finding ways to impress, Omenihu's failure to take advantage of the weak matchup could give the Chiefs more reasons to be ready to turn the page.
Omenihu hasn't given Kansas City any reason to consider an offseason reunion, and this past week was the exclamation point on that fact. For Kansas City, the wise move is to start fresh at the position, looking to bring in a star pass rusher and acquire pieces capable of getting to the quarterback
consistently or at least playing a better brand of run defense. Chris Jones and George Karlaftis need more help than what they've been given this season.
For Omenihu, this year's underwhelming results are going to force the veteran defender to settle for a bargain short-term deal in hopes of bouncing back. The Chiefs already know who he is at this point, making it clear that both sides could use a fresh start this offseason.