Chiefs Re-sign Defensive End Charles Omenihu to One-Year Contract

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs have re-signed defensive end Charles Omenihu to a one-year contract worth a maximum of $7 million, according to a source cited by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Omenihu, 27, returns to the Chiefs after a challenging two seasons. He played with the team from 2023 through 2024 after signing as a free agent. However, his tenure was marked by a six-game suspension at the beginning of the 2023 season due to a violation of the NFL’s personal conduct policy. Omenihu was arrested in January of that year in San Jose, California, on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic assault.

Despite the rocky start to his time in Kansas City, Omenihu had the most productive season of his career in 2023. He achieved a career-high seven sacks and added another in the playoffs, although his season ended with a torn ACL during the AFC Championship Game victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.

In 2024, Omenihu appeared in six regular-season games, recording one sack. He also participated in all three of the Chiefs’ playoff games, contributing another sack as the team made its postseason run.

Before joining Kansas City, Omenihu was drafted by the Houston Texans in the fifth round (161st overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft. He spent 2½ seasons with the Texans, tallying seven sacks, before being traded to the San Francisco 49ers. In his time with the 49ers, he recorded 4.5 sacks during the 2022 season.

Over his six NFL seasons, Omenihu has accumulated 19.5 sacks so far. His latest contract with the Chiefs comes as a “prove-it” deal, as he aims to display his full potential following injury setbacks that kept him off the field for significant periods in recent years.

Keith Shapiro, a Chiefs spokesperson, stated, “Charles has shown the ability to be a game-changer when healthy, and we are optimistic he can contribute greatly to our defense this season.”

The Chiefs have high hopes for Omenihu following his injury struggles, as they look to bolster their defensive line in the upcoming season.