Getty Defensive end Charles Omenihu of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Charles Omenihu is undergoing rehab following surgery on the torn ACL he suffered in January.
On June 3, Omenihu shared an update on his rehab via X, formerly Twitter.
“Surgery knee btw. 3 months post OP (operation). They said I wouldnt be the same. Keep doubting. Vengeance OTW,” Omenihu wrote as the caption for a video that shows him working out his right knee (the one he injured)
Omenihu, 27, suffered a torn ACL during the AFC Championship against the Baltimore Ravens. Though he was confident he would be ready for the 2024 Super Bowl, further testing confirmed that Omenihu tore his ACL and couldn’t play in the Super Bowl. He underwent surgery for the injury on February 20, per NFL Media’s James Palmer.
Based on the recovery timeline for that type of injury, Omenihu is expected to be sidelined for a portion of the 2024 season. But Omenihu wouldn’t be the first NFL player to recover faster than usual from a significant injury if he’s able to be ready for the start of the 2024 regular season.
Charles Omenihu Wants More Money But Must Earn It First
Speaking to Inside Texas’ Justin Wells in an interview published on February 26, Omenihu revealed that he remains motivated by believing he is underpaid.
“The biggest way how I keep my chip on my shoulder now is I feel like I should be paid more,” Omenihu said. “I feel like I should be in the discussions of, maybe not in the realm of the Myles Garrett or the Bosa. Maybe not in that discussion, but the second-tier guys? The next tier? For sure I should be in that discussion.”
Omenihu also made similar remarks when joining NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” crew on the same day.
“I think I did, to be honest,” Omenihu said when asked if he thinks he’s done enough to get a new deal. “Like you said, seven sacks in 11 games and then the sack in the championship game to kind of spark off the wave of defensive plays. Finished second on the team in sacks and didn’t have the first six games to catch up with George [Karlaftis] and Chris [Jones]. I think I did, I think the tape speaks for itself. I think I showed dominant run play and then with the pass rush, inside and outside and just winning one-on-ones, creating turnovers, being the spark and, like, the energy plays they wanted me to be when I got there.”
Charles Omenihu Had Great First Season With Chiefs
During the 2023 season, Omenihu registered 29 total quarterback pressures (17 hurries, 7, sacks, 5 hits), 13 stops, and 2 forced fumbles in 11 regular season games, per PFF. In three playoff games, he recorded 8 total QB pressures (7 hurries, 1 sack), 1 stop, and 1 forced fumble
Omenihu has one year remaining on his two-year, $16 million deal with the Chiefs, which includes a $10.9 million cap hit for the 2024 season, according to Over The Cap.
If he’s able to dish out similar production during the 2024 season and remain healthy for the entirety of the season, there’s little doubt that either the two-time defending Super Bowl champions or another team will give Omenihu a contract in 2025 that outweighs his current deal with Kansas City.