Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles had a rough season physically in 2014, fighting his way through ankle, knee and hamstring injuries while missing only one game.
Heading into 2015, the Chiefs' franchise runner is beginning to feel like himself again.
"I feel good,’" Charles told Adam Teicher of ESPN. “My body has healed up, rested up."
Despite rushing for over 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns, Charles was frustrated by his lack of explosion in 2014, as he was nicked up from training camp until the end of the season.
"I was frustrated more last season as I've ever been because of all of those injuries," he said. "I was frustrated because I didn’t feel my body was right the whole season. But I battled through that time. That’s all I could do. I felt like I was in a fight and I had to respond. I had 12 weeks to finish the season, and it felt to me like I had 12 rounds to go."
Charles was also just coming off a concussion sustained in the Chiefs' playoff loss to the Indianapolis Colts during the 2013 season, so injuries have hampered his game for over a full year.
Still, 14 total touchdowns is solid production for anyone, and Charles isn't complaining.
“When you’re playing football and you hurt your ankle, you just have to have it in your mind that every time you get hit it’s going to hurt,’’ Charles said. “It definitely hurt. But I was able to put that out of my mind and make plays.’’
