Jamaal Charles Addresses AFC Honor, Having Fun While Winning

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Jamaal Charles is one of the best players in football, and after his stellar Week 15 performance, the Kansas City Chiefs’ running back was awarded the AFC Offensive Player of the Week award.

Chiefs’ players have received player of the week awards before (Search: Justin Houston), but perhaps none have been so deserving. Charles absolutely tore up the Oakland Raiders this past weekend, scoring five touchdowns—four through the air—on his way to 215 all-purpose yards.

Kansas City beat Oakland 56-31.

The Chiefs’ running back met with the media today and discussed the honor, saying, “I mean it’s just another award that I’m happy to get, but I know they’re (his teammates) happy for me because they know I bust my tail in practice every week and I go out there and play so hard for my teammates.”

The Chiefs, off the strength of Charles’ performance this season, and with the help of a great defense and special teams, have now clinched a playoff spot and find themselves at 11-3 on the season. Kansas City is guaranteed to make the playoffs, but even the AFC West title is still on the line.

Charles also discussed his mindset out there on the field. It’s not a single play that makes him happy, but winning in general.

“The most fun is winning,” he said. “That puts a smile on everybody’s face and going out there and playing your hardest for your teammates.”

“Also not going out there without a purpose, but going out there with a purpose of making not just me happy but my family happy and the fans happy and the organization happy,” Kansas City’s running back explained. “I feel like we’re giving back to a winning system and I love winning. That has been a part of my whole career from when I was little growing up all the way to now. I’m just happy to be winning and I’m glad for this community too.”

With an attitude like that, it’s no wonder that Charles is such a star in this community, and an obvious fan favorite.