KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Charles Omenihu left quite a first impression on his new hometown fans Saturday at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Playing in front of Chiefs Kingdom for the first time since signing with Kansas City after joining the reigning Super Bowl champions during the offseason, Omenihu had a sack, a tackle for a loss and three quarterback hits during the first half of a 33-32 victory against Cleveland.
The sack was his first in a Chiefs uniform, but it’ll also be the last for at least a few months.
The regular season is still two weeks away and Omenihu will miss the season’s first six games after the NFL handed down a suspension earlier this month in connection to a domestic violence arrest earlier this year in San Francisco, where he spent the last 1 1/2 seasons.
Omenihu’s girlfriend accused him of pushing her to the ground during an argument, so now he’ll have to be away from the game he loves for a prolonged stretch for the first time.
“It’s going to be an adjustment,” Omenihu said. “The biggest thing is going to be watching other people play. But once I get in my routine and get focused, I’ll be all right.”
Omenihu said he’ll take the time to “get my body right” coming out of training camp.
“He’s just got to keep pushing through and make sure he doesn't slack off on the football part and then take care of business off the field,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said when the suspension was announced.
NFL rules dictate that Omenihu can’t be with the team for half of his suspension, so he’ll be away from the Chiefs until at least Sept. 25 and will miss games against Detroit, at Jacksonville, against Chicago, at the New York Jets, at Minnesota and against Denver before he’s eligible to rejoin the 53-man roster on Oct. 13.
Omenihu — who went 1-2 in three games, including the playoffs, at Arrowhead during his 2 1/2 years with Houston — should make his Chiefs debut in Week 7 against the Los Angeles Chargers at Arrowhead.
“It’s going to be something,” Omenihu said. “I’m going to have a lot of energy, a lot of emotions. It’ll be something I remember for sure.”
He’s got that Oct. 22 date circled in his mind.
“Let the show begin,” Omenihu said. “I’ve got to continue to sharpen my sword. That’s how I’m going to look at it and take it. It’s unfortunate, but that’s what I’ve got to deal with. It’ll only help me grow as a player and as a person.”
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