KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Running back Jamaal Charles was none too happy about being yanked from the game with the Kansas City Chiefs about to score a touchdown in the third quarter of Sunday’s game against the Oakland Raiders but he had only himself to blame.
Charles had just taken a hit to the head, similar to the one he had taken in an October game against the San Diego Chargers. Then, he kept quiet about the incident until the next day, when he described having symptoms consistent to those of a concussion.
This time the Chiefs were quick to pull Charles from the game and examined him for a concussion, which it turns out he didn’t have.
“Really, he was complaining about his knee and ankle, not his head,’’ coach Andy Reid said. “But he did take a big hit there so we kind of went in that direction.
“In today’s football, you’re going to go through that. If somebody takes a big hit like that, you’re going to make sure you check them out."
Charles’ understudy, Knile Davis, scored the touchdown on the next play. The score gave the Chiefs a 17-6 lead in a game they would go on to win 31-13.
Charles failed to score a touchdown on Sunday for the first time in nine games. He wasn’t pleased about that.
“The next play they grabbed me and said, ‘We’ve got to go through the protocol and see if you’re fine,’ ’’ Charles said. “I’m like, ‘OK.’ The next play we scored. I was upset. I wanted to play the game. These injuries this year have been killing me this year. It’s part of the game but I’ve got to get over it.
“I had to go through the protocol with the concussion stuff. It was a big hit. I was fine. No seeing stars this time. I made it out clear this time.’’
Charles entered the game with lingering soreness in his knee and a sprained ankle from last week’s game in Arizona. He said he aggravated the ankle injury against the Raiders.
“I told the coach . . . they tried to twist my ankle,’’ Charles said. “The same thing happened last week. I just told them just give me time for my ankle to chill out right now because it was still under a lot of pressure. But I was fine. I could have played. I just told the coach I needed the time and I just needed to rest it.’’
Charles finished the game with 52 yards on 12 carries. He said he would be ready to play in next Sunday’s game against the Steelers in Pittsburgh.
“I just need to get off of it and ice it and everything would [be all] right,’’ he said. “It was still tender.’’
