Three-hundred and eighty eight days ago Jamaal Charles' right knee gave out, and if we lived in a fair world he would not spend the 389th day recovering from another surgery on the same knee.
In a fair world, more than a year of rehab would be worth something more than more surgery, more rehab, and more hope that one of the most dynamic careers in Chiefs history isn't now effectively over. Charles deserves better than that. He's earned better than to face the possibility that his body gave out on him before his 30th birthday.
This is one of the most chaotic weeks the Chiefs have seen in years. Their quarterback has a gashed ear and lumps behind the ear from clotted blood beneath his skin. He is said to be "absolutely asymptomatic" from two brutal hits to the head but will not start this week anyway, because they just don't know enough yet _ hopefully, a tacit acknowledgement that the NFL's concussion protocol is inadequate and dangerous.
What's more, the man who had replaced Charles in the backfield is still suffering from a diagnosed concussion, and the Chiefs now have six men in uniform who weren't here at the beginning of last week. At least some of them will play this weekend.
But the most heartbreaking of this is Charles. He was scheduled for exploratory surgery with one of the world's most acclaimed sports doctors, which might be an encouraging sign, but the same surgeon performed the first operation, too.
ACL surgery and recovery is supposed to be serious but routine by now. Medicine advances fast. They typically say nine to 12 months' recovery for ACL repairs, and sometimes less. Adrian Peterson rushed for 2,097 yards in a season that began less than nine months after this surgery. Justin Houston might play next week, and his surgery was in February.
Charles' was nearly 13 months ago, and now it will be at least another month or two before he can play. There is a largely unspoken but very real fear within the organization that it will be much longer than that. The possibility that he has played his last down for the Chiefs exists. He'll have to take a major paycut, no matter where he plays next year.
"I kind of know where his head is at right now," said punter Dustin Colquitt, a friend and teammate from Charles' first day with the Chiefs more than eight years ago. "It's frustrating, but he also has an outlook of, and I know this is a cliche, but, 'What doesn't kill me makes me stronger.' So I think he's looking at this as a time to take and get back to being Jamaal."
Nobody _ not the Chiefs, Andrews, or anyone else who's worked with Charles during this process _ is sure what the problem is. They think it may be the meniscus, but it's troubling that Charles has been experiencing pain in both knees. This is what it sounds like when the end is nearer than the beginning.
No matter what, Charles will be remembered as one of the game's best running backs of his time. He actually has an interesting Hall of Fame case, though he will almost certainly have to settle for being in the team's Ring of Honor someday.
He has rushed for more than 1,000 yards and accumulated more than 1,300 yards from scrimmage in each of his five full seasons. He led the league in rushing touchdowns, and total touchdowns, in 2013. No running back in NFL history has averaged more than Charles' 5.45 yards per carry _ the next three names on the list are Bo Jackson, Bobby Mitchell and Jim Brown.
The longest run of Charles' career might have been the most descriptive, too. It came four years ago in New Orleans. The Chiefs were backed up to their own 9. Charles took the handoff on a simple play to the left side, off tackle and behind a fullback who missed his block.
Charles zoomed by a linebacker who had an angle near the line of scrimmage, through an arm tackle by a defensive back five yards later, and then past two more defenders who had a few yards' head start on him down the field.
David Eulitt and Terez Paylor The Kansas City Star
"He found that edge, and then, just, BAM!," Colquitt said. "You're like, yeah, that's Jamaal Charles. That was the play I saw him and I was like, 'Man, there is no one like that guy.' Dang, did you see you that? Everybody was looking like that. Even their sideline, it was like, 'Wow!'"
The Chiefs trailed by 18 late in the third quarter when Charles took that handoff. They would up winning, in overtime, one of a precious few highlights of an epically miserable 2012 season.
That part of it is descriptive of Charles, too. He's often been the shining star in otherwise miserable offenses, and never complained about it. Last year, he stood in front of his locker on the verge of what appeared to be tears, taking responsibility for a loss to the Broncos in prime time.
He fumbled twice during that game, including one that was returned for Denver's winning touchdown. He also ran for 125 yards on 21 carries that night and scored two touchdowns.
We saw Charles _ truly saw the talent we've become accustomed too _ only once this year. It was in Oakland, which is perhaps fitting, because that's where some of his best moments have come. The breakout game of his breakout season in 2009 happened there _ 103 yards and a touchdown. Three years ago, he turned simple screen passes into something like a cheat code, going 195 yards and scoring five touchdowns on eight catches.
Two weeks ago, Charles showed it again. On his first carry, he was stopped at the 7, busted through, was stopped again at the 5, busted through again, and pushed a couple defenders down to the 2. He picked up a blitz that opened a downfield pass to Albert Wilson _ Charles has always been a terrific blocker for his position _ and finished the drive with a patient, confident, one-cut run into the end zone.
Charles was one of the nation's best sprinters in college, but has spent his pro career wanting to be known for his toughness. He's achieved that, a few times over, and now will do it one more time.
He's a rare athlete _ a superstar's talent blended with a 53rd man's drive. Charles was baptized this offseason, and for the first time he has been a regular at the Chiefs' Bible study groups. That's where Colquitt has taken a new understanding and appreciation for his old friend, and where Colquitt thinks Charles can find the strength to beat one more rotten break with his knees.
"He's a new creation this year," Colquitt said. "I think that's kind of equipping him to handle adversity."
Here's hoping we see what he looks like on the other side, still with the Chiefs.
