Charles preps for KC return
Watt begins to divide up Hurricane Harvey funds
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jamaal Charles envisioned playing his entire career with the Chiefs, retiring from the organization that drafted him and having his name emblazoned on the ring of honor at Arrowhead Stadium.
The business of the NFL put a twist in those plans.
Now, the Chiefs’ career rushing leader is preparing to return to Kansas City on Monday night as a member of the rival Denver Broncos. It figures to be an awkward homecoming for Charles, whose tremendous nine-year run with the Chiefs was slowed only by a pair of season-ending knee injuries.
“I really don’t even know,” Charles said when asked what kind of reception he expects to receive. “I’m just going in there to play football, like I’ve done every day of my life. A lot of people think I’m a traitor because I play for the Broncos. I was just trying to get a job at the end of the day.”
Charles had a job this season with the Chiefs, but it came with a $7 million price tag. And for a franchise desperately strapped for cash, that price was too steep.
Especially for a speed-reliant 30-yearold running back whose knees provided massive question marks.
The Broncos wound up signing him to a $2.5 million deal, a bargain at the time that infuriated some Chiefs fans when Charles later acknowledged he would have taken a pay cut to remain in Kansas City.
“Everything happened for a reason,” Charles said this week. “I’m happy where I’m at.”
Charles insists that he is finally healthy, that the swelling in his surgically repaired right knee that sidelined him last season has subsided. But he has not shown the explosiveness that once made him the NFL’s premier running back, carrying just 42 times for 196 yards and a touchdown.
He had oknly four carries for 2 yards in last week’s 21-0 loss to the Chargers.
But Broncos coach Vance Joseph said that’s partly by design. He wanted to make sure Charles was back to 100 percent before giving him too much work, and it made sense to share the load with longtime stalwart C.J. Anderson, also residing in the Denver backfield.
“We signed Jamaal in the spring in the hopes of getting him back to being Jamaal and being healthy, and he’s done his part,” Joseph said. “We didn’t want to start Jamaal so fast we lost him for the year, so some of it’s by purpose. Some of it’s just the games we’ve been in. But we want to get him some more touches so he can have some of those breakout runs.”
WATT: J.J. Watt has announced plans for how the more than $37 million he raised in the wake of Hurricane Harvey will be distributed.
The Texans defensive end will divide $30.15 million of the donations between Americares, Feeding America, SBP and Save the Children.
The money will go toward rebuilding child-care centers and homes and providing food and health care to those affected by the storm. He’ll hold onto $7 million for now and distribute it next year after his group assesses the continuing relief efforts.
Watt began the fundraising campaign in the days after the storm with the goal of raising $200,000, but kept upping the target as donations poured in from more than 200,000 people.
Watt says: “You have truly shown what is possible when everyone bands together for one common cause. While we are going to do some truly incredible things with this $37 million to make it stretch as far as possible, it is only one small step in the massive recovery effort that lies ahead.” PATRIOTS: Linebacker Dont’a Hightower will miss Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers and is facing season-ending surgery on his right shoulder. The surgery will be for a torn pectoral muscle.
It comes as a blow for a Patriots defense that has improved in recent weeks, but continues to rank last in the NFL in total defense, giving up 426.7 yards per game.
Hightower has 14 tackles and two sacks. In March, he signed a new fouryear deal worth $35.5 million.
With Hightower out, his snaps are expected to fall to Kyle Van Noy and veteran David Harris.
CARDINALS: Arizona placed quarterback Carson Palmer on injured reserve after he underwent surgery for a broken left arm.
The move means Palmer would not be able to play until the next-to-last game of the season, Dec. 24 at home against the New York Giants. That’s followed by the season finale at Seattle on Dec. 31.
PANTHERS: Middle linebacker Luke Kuechly participated in all of practice for the second straight day Thursday, and coach Ron Rivera remains optimistic the three-time All-Pro will be cleared to play against Tampa Bay. He’s in the final stage of the NFL’s concussion protocol, and will need to be cleared by an independent doctor before being allowed to play in a game.
BILLS: It turns out receiver Anquan Boldin might not be done playing.
A person with direct knowledge of the decision confirmed to The Associated Press on Thursday that Buffalo granted Boldin permission to explore the possibility of being traded.
The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the Bills and Boldin have not announced it. The Bills hold the rights to Boldin after they signed him to a one-year contract Aug. 7. The 37-year-old player abruptly retired two weeks later by saying he wanted to focus on his charitable causes and social-justice issues.
The timing of Boldin’s decision to consider continuing to play comes with the NFL trading deadline set for Tuesday.