Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles had surgery on his right knee shortly after going on injured reserve early this month after he experienced swelling upon his return to action from last year’s torn ACL.
That was not the full extent of Charles’ knee troubles, however. When Charles went on injured reserve, trainer Rick Burkholder said that he was also experiencing pain in his left knee after getting back on the field.
Now he’s had surgery on that knee as well. Burkholder said on Thursday that Charles had the left knee scoped by Dr. James Andrews on Monday to make for a matched set of surgeries.
That should knock out any lingering hope that Charles would return to the team at any point this season and shift the question to whether he’ll be back with the Chiefs at all. Parting ways with Charles would save the Chiefs $7 million under the cap and the team has done well the last two seasons with Spencer Ware and Charcandrick West as the lead men in the backfield the last two years.