Jamaal Charles: 2014 was my most frustrating season
Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles says nagging injuries made 2014 his most frustrating NFL season.
Despite an impressive on-field performance, Jamaal Charles admitted that 2014 was his most frustrating season thus far. Charles, the 28 year-old Pro Bowl running back, told ESPN that he was battling aches and pains all of last year. The discomfort clearly got to him.
"“I was frustrated more last season as I’ve been because of all of those injuries. I was frustrated because I didn’t feel my body was right the whole season. But I battled through that time. That’s all I could do. I feel like I was in a fight and I had to respond. I had 12 weeks to finish the season and it felt to me like I had 12 rounds to go.”"
Charles’ injuries began at the end of training camp last year when he twisted an ankle moving out of his dorm room, which has to be one of the tamest injuries incurred on a college campus. He also suffered through foot, back, shoulder, hamstring and knee injuries throughout the year. Despite the laundry list of issues, Charles only missed one game last season, though he was listed on the team’s injury report for nine games.
When asked whether last year’s “aches and pains” were evidence of his body breaking down, Charles shot down the possibility. “I think it was just bad luck,” he said. “I was just dinged up. If my body was breaking down, I definitely wouldn’t have played the whole season.”
Even with the aches and pains that ailed him, Charles racked up more than 1,000 yards and averaged 5.0 yards per rush in 15 total games. The running back also found himself on the receiving end of 40 passes from quarterback Alex Smith.
If Charles can put up numbers like that with nagging, season-long discomfort, imagine what he can do if he’s healthy.
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Headed into the 2015 season, Charles has a positive outlook on his health. “I feel good,” he said. “My body has healed up, rested up.”
Despite being overshadowed by other running backs in 2014, Charles hit an impressive career milestone. Charles joined Jim Brown and Barry Sanders as the only players in NFL history who totaled at least 1,000 yards and averaged five yards per carry in five different seasons. In fact, the Texas native has never finished a season averaging less than 5.0 yards per carry. To date, Charles averages 5.5 yards per carry for his career.
Charles, who spent his offseason training in Austin, Texas with a group of former NFL players, including teammate Derrick Johnson, will return to Kansas City next week to join the Chiefs for team conditioning.
It sounds like Charles will be motivated to stay healthy and continue his already impressive production in 2015. Chiefs fans and fantasy footballers sure hope so.
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