Kansas City Chiefs Injury Update: Charles Omenihu Lets Fans in on His Road to Recovery

Jan 21, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Charles Omenihu (90) against the Buffalo Bills in the 2024 AFC divisional round game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The AFC Championship game last season proved detrimental for Chiefs Defensive End Charles Omenihu as he went down with a gnarly ACL injury. He’s been going through rehab ever since, and will most likely be sitting out the start of the next season. After undergoing successful knee surgery in February, he is on the mend. But recovery, while an indication of progress, is still a tough process.

The defensive end took to his YouTube channel to share part of his recovery journey with his fans. Taking the audience through his days of rehab, the Chiefs player showcased how difficult injury recovery can be. While he is making progress, it is still an extensive process, with many experts and physios involved.

In the video, Omenihu gives a glimpse into his rehab journey from March till now, with the latest update coming from April 28th, when he left Dallas to go back to KC. After his surgery, Omenihu confirmed a successful surgery through an Instagram post. “Surgery was a success,” Omenihu wrote. “I appreciate all the well wishes and prayers. I’ve been through the dark before and God has always guided me to the light this will be no different. THE JOURNEY BEGINS…”

Despite his healing journey going the way it should be, the DE is likely to sit out the better part of the start of the next season. This leaves the Chiefs in an interesting spot.

Where Do the Chiefs Stand Without Charles Omenihu?

As is typical with ACL injury recovery, Omenihu could be looking at 6 months off the field. This would mean that the ex-fifth-round selection stands to potentially begin training camp, the preseason, and even the initial phase of the regular season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.

The DE inked a two-year contract with the Chiefs last offseason. However, with him sidelined for the foreseeable future, Kansas City is set to depend on George Karlaftis and 2023 first-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah to take on substantial responsibilities at the defensive end position in the early stages of next season. Fortunately, they decided to retain both Mike Danna and Chris Jones, making life much easier for the defensive line in Omenihu’s absence.

However, should the Kansas State alum Anudike-Uzomah demonstrate his capability in the starting role, it might spell the end of Omenihu’s stint with the Chiefs, resulting in his expulsion but savings of over $5.2 million for the Kansas team.