The Kansas City Chiefs have always had good luck with receivers and running backs. They were lucky enough to draft someone as versatile as Tyreek Hill and, prior to him, Jamaal Charles. The Texas alum positioned himself as one of the fastest ball carriers in the league before Hill cemented his position as a speedster. However, while Hill had the good fortune to play with Patrick Mahomes, Charles did not, which is something he wished had been different.
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During his recent appearance on the ‘Second Acts Podcast,’ Jamaal Charles discussed his playing experience in Kansas and reminisced about playing alongside QB teammate Alex Smith. However, before Mahomes, a QB who was about to become the face of the franchise, was drafted to the team, the star running back was unfortunately traded to the Denver Broncos.
“The crazy thing (is) that the year Pat (Mahomes) came, I got released,” Charles recounted.
The four-time Pro Bowler then emphasized that he would’ve loved to be on the Super Bowl run alongside Mahomes, but at the same time, he expressed that he was very content with the moments he had with the Chiefs and how things turned out for him.
“I hear that question like, ‘Man, if Jamaal was on the Super Bowl run now, it would be crazy.’ I mean I don’t know how it would look. It would (probably) look fantastic, but dang, I’m still happy and proud of the moments I have,” he added.
Nevertheless, Charles also noted during the interview that one of his most valuable experiences with the Chiefs was playing under Andy Reid.
Andy Reid’s Invaluable Impact on Jamaal Charles
Great coaches leave a greater impact on their players, and Andy Reid is the quintessential example of such a coach. When it comes to developing his players, Reid ensures he understands their individual strengths, and it was no exception for Charles. Reid went on to center plays that would employ the skillset that Charles possessed as a running back.
During the podcast, Charles even recounted an anecdote, noting Reid once called him to the office just to demonstrate a trick play the head coach had devised for him.
“Coach Andy Reid called me in the office [and said], ‘Hey man, I made this play up for you. I’m like, ‘okay’. He (then) walked me through the plays,” Charles recalled.
This was a recurring theme when the star running back played in Kansas. He even playfully labeled himself the QB of the team, given how Reid and running back coach Eric Bieniemy devised special plays for him.
That being said, Jamaal’s experience with the Chiefs had been stellar. While he wished he could’ve played with Mahomes and won some rings, the RB was grateful to have played with such an organization and under a coach like Andy Reid. While the running back has moved toward retirement, his experience with the team that drafted him is always going to be one he keeps close to his heart.
