Jamaal Charles: A breakpoint season UPDATED

The 2015 season for the Kansas City Chiefs is going to be a big one. The team has Pro Bowl level performers and multiple playmakers on both sides of the ball and even at punter. These Chiefs even have an elite running back in Jamaal Charles. The big question for Jamaal Charles is: is this year going to continue a downslide physically we saw last season or will he return to his elite status? Moreover, is Jamaal Charles headed for the Hall of Fame some day or is he just another player in the countless reams of very, very good backs who never could sustain their excellence long enough to make it to the hall?

It was seven short seasons ago that Jamaal Charles (J.C.) was drafted out of the University of Texas by then head coach Herman Edwards in the 3rd round of the NFL draft. Edwards was in what would be his last year leading the organization to a 2-14 record. Charles languished as a backup to misfit Larry Johnson (L.J.) when he only had 67 carries in his rookie year.

While Jamaal Charles career was getting off to a slow start it was partly due to the previous success of incumbent running back Larry Johnson whose mouth eventually opened the door for Charles. In October of 2009, L.J. was asked by the team to stay away from practice and other team activities because of his comments against Gays and Lesbians. However, part of his comments were directed at new coach Todd Haley saying, “My father played for the coach from remember the titans”. Our coach played golf. My father played for redskins briefly. Our coach. Nuthn.” In early November of that year, Johnson was waived in part due to the outcry from Chiefs fans. Who wants their all time record holder to be that jerk?

Astoundingly, although Jamaal Charles had been considered someone who the Chiefs might trade or release earlier that season, he stepped in and gained 1,120 yards on 190 carries for a 5.9 yards per carry average.

That “yards per carry” average got Charles some pop on the national scene and many hoped he’d be able to keep up his production. Jamaal Charles’ career numbers are as follows,

2008- 5.3 ypc for 357 yards on 67 attempts

2009- 5.9 ypc for 1,120 yards on 190 attempts

2010- 6.4 ypc for 1,467 yards on 230 attempts

2011- 6.9 ypc for 83 yards on 12 attempts*

2012- 5.3 ypc for 1,509 yards on 285 attempts

2013- 5.0 ypc for 1,287 yards on 259 attempts

2014- 5.0 ypc for 1,033 yards on 206 attempts

*an early knee injury took him out for the year

As you can see Charles average per carry has leveled off the past two seasons so this season will tell a great deal about his all-time status.

This past season Charles overtook Priest Holmes and is now the Kansas City Chiefs all time leading rusher with 6,856 yards. So, every time that JC touches the ball this season he’s re-writing the Chiefs record books. From a Chiefs standpoint, Charles will most certainly be in their ring of honor unless he does something — Ray-Ray asinine (that would be Lewis or Rice level of stupidity) — in the next ten years.

Next: Is Jamaal Charles hard to compare?