Chiefs DE Charles Omenihu suspended 6 games for violating personal conduct policy
By DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs defensive end Charles Omenihu was suspended Friday for the first six games of the regular season for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy following an alleged domestic violence incident in January.
Omenihu was playing for the 49ers when police were called to his San Jose home for a report of domestic violence, according to the San Jose Police Department. A woman who said she was Omenihu’s girlfriend told officers at the time that he had “pushed her to the ground during an argument,” though there were no visible injuries and she declined medical treatment.
The 49ers allowed Omenihu to continue playing, and he had two sacks and a forced fumble in their three playoff games.
Omenihu, who has missed the past two days of training camp with a calf issue, has participated in the entire offseason program with the Chiefs, who signed him to a two-year deal to replace departed pass rushers Frank Clark and Carlos Dunlap.
The 25-year-old Omenihu remains eligible to participate in camp and he can play in the Chiefs’ three preseason games. But he will miss regular-season games against Detroit, Jacksonville, Chicago, the Jets, Minnesota and Denver. He is eligible to return to the Kansas City practice facility on Oct. 13 and play Week 7 against the Chargers.
The Chiefs declined to comment beyond the NFL’s release announcing Omenihu’s suspension.
The punishment was somewhat expected by the Chiefs, given that Willie Gay Jr. was suspended four games last season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. The suspension handed down to the linebacker came after his misdemeanor charge of criminal damage to property of less than $1,000, which was resolved through a diversion program.
Nevertheless, the Chiefs are in a pass-rushing predicament should defensive tackle Chris Jones continue his holdout.
Jones skipped the entire offseason program and has yet to report to training camp, getting docked $50,000 in fines for each day that he misses, while trying to angle for a new contract. Jones is entering the final year of a four-year, $80 million contract after piling up 15 1/2 sacks last season, a full 9 1/2 sacks more than any other player on the roster.
Without Jones or Omenihu, the Chiefs would be forced to rely on defensive Mike Danna, who has been out with a calf strain since the first day of training camp, and young pass rushers George Karlaftis and Felix Anudike-Uzomah. Karlaftis had six sacks as a rookie last season while Anudike-Uzomah was chosen in the first round of this year’s draft.
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