Jamaal Charles facts for kids
Charles in 2023
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | December 27, 1986 Port Arthur, Texas, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 199 lb (90 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Memorial (Port Arthur) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Texas (2005–2007) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2008 / Round: 3 / Pick: 73 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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Jamaal RaShaad Jones Charles (born December 27, 1986) is a former American football player. He was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. He played most of his career with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Charles played college football for the Texas Longhorns. He helped them win the 2006 Rose Bowl. The Chiefs picked him in the third round of the 2008 NFL draft.
He started as a backup player. But in 2009, he became the main running back for the Chiefs. Over the next few years, he was chosen for four Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams. He also led the league in rushing touchdowns in 2013. Later, injuries limited his playing time, and he left the team.
Charles also played for the Denver Broncos and the Jacksonville Jaguars. He holds an NFL record for the highest yards per carry (5.4) for players with at least 1,000 carries.
Contents
Early Life and Challenges
Jamaal Charles had a learning disability as a child. He found reading difficult and was sometimes teased. In 2015, he shared his story. He said the Special Olympics helped him discover his talent.
He competed in the Special Olympics when he was 10. This helped him realize how fast he was. He won a gold medal in track and field.
High School Football Star
Charles played high school football at Memorial High School in Port Arthur, Texas. As a junior, he ran for over 2,000 yards and scored 25 touchdowns. He was named first-team all-state.
In his senior year, he ran for another 2,000+ yards and 25 touchdowns. He was named to the 2005 Parade All-America Football Team. He also won the Willie Ray Smith Award twice, which honors the best offensive player in southeast Texas.
Track and Field Achievements
Charles was also a great track athlete in high school. He won a bronze medal in the 400m hurdles at the 2003 World Youth Championships in Athletics. In his senior year, he won two Texas state championships in hurdles.
College Career at Texas
Charles went to the University of Texas from 2005 to 2008. He was a two-sport athlete, playing both football and track.
Football Highlights
Charles played college football for the University of Texas under coach Mack Brown.
Freshman Year (2005)
As a freshman, Charles quickly made an impact. In his first college game, he rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown. This set a school record for a freshman debut.
He had several other strong games, including 189 rushing yards and three touchdowns against Rice. In the Red River Showdown against Oklahoma, he had an 80-yard touchdown run.
Texas had a perfect season, winning the Big 12 Championship. They then won the National Championship Game in the Rose Bowl against USC. Charles contributed to their victory.
He finished his freshman year with 878 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. He tied a school record for touchdowns by a freshman.
Sophomore Year (2006)
In 2006, Charles continued to play well. He had over 100 rushing yards against Rice. He also scored two rushing touchdowns against Kansas State.
He had a 72-yard touchdown catch in the 2006 Alamo Bowl victory over Iowa. Overall, he had 831 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns.
Junior Year (2007)
Before the 2007 season, many thought Charles would have a breakout year. He was considered one of the fastest college running backs.
He started the season strong with several 100-yard rushing games. In one game against Nebraska, he rushed for 290 yards. This was the fourth-highest total in Texas Longhorns history. He also had an 86-yard touchdown run in that game.
Charles finished the 2007 season with 1,619 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns. He led the Big 12 in rushing yards. He was named first-team All-Big 12.
After his junior year, Charles decided to enter the 2008 NFL draft. He finished his college career ranked fourth in total rushing yards for Texas.
College Statistics
| Jamaal Charles | Rushing | Receiving | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GP | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | TD |
| 2005 | Texas | 13 | 119 | 878 | 7.4 | 11 | 14 | 157 | 2 |
| 2006 | Texas | 12 | 156 | 831 | 5.3 | 7 | 18 | 183 | 1 |
| 2007 | Texas | 13 | 258 | 1,619 | 6.3 | 18 | 17 | 199 | 0 |
| Total | 38 | 533 | 3,328 | 6.2 | 36 | 49 | 539 | 3 | |
College Track Career
Charles also ran track in college. In 2006, he placed fourth in the NCAA 60-meter indoor championship. He won the Big 12 100-meter title.
He also placed fifth in the 100-meter finals at the NCAA outdoor competition. He helped the Longhorns track team finish third, their highest since 1997.
He was a four-time All-American in college track. In 2020, he was inducted into the University of Texas Hall of Honor.
Professional Football Career
The Kansas City Chiefs drafted Jamaal Charles in the third round of the 2008 NFL draft. He was the ninth running back chosen that year.
Kansas City Chiefs Years
Rookie Season (2008)
In his first NFL game, Charles rushed for 28 yards. In Week 9, he had 106 rushing yards against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He scored his first NFL touchdown on a 36-yard catch in Week 12. He finished his rookie season with 357 rushing yards.
Breakout Season (2009)
Charles had a limited role early in 2009. But after another player was released, Charles became the main running back. In Week 10, he ran for 103 yards and scored his first rushing touchdown.
In Week 11, he returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. He also scored a receiving touchdown in that game. In Week 17, Charles rushed for a career-high 259 yards. This broke the Chiefs' single-game rushing record. He became one of only four NFL players to rush for over 250 yards while averaging over 10 yards per carry.
All-Pro Season (2010)
In 2010, Charles had an amazing season. He rushed for 1,467 yards and five touchdowns. He also had 468 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns.
His 6.38 yards per carry average was the second-highest ever for a running back in NFL history. He was chosen for his first Pro Bowl and named to the All-Pro team.
Injury in 2011
Charles's 2011 season was cut short. In Week 2, he suffered a serious ACL injury in his knee. He missed the rest of the season.
Comeback Season (2012)
After his injury, Charles had a fantastic comeback season in 2012. He rushed for 1,509 yards and five touchdowns. He averaged 5.3 yards per carry.
In Week 3, he rushed for a career-high 233 yards and a touchdown. His 91-yard touchdown run was the longest in Chiefs history at the time. He was named to his second Pro Bowl.
Leading the League (2013)
Charles started the 2013 season by scoring a touchdown in his first seven games. In Week 15, he had an incredible game against the Oakland Raiders. He had eight catches for 195 receiving yards and five total touchdowns (four receiving, one rushing).
He was the first Chiefs player since 1961 to score five touchdowns in a game. He was also the first NFL player ever to have four receiving touchdowns and one rushing touchdown in a single game.
He finished the 2013 season with 1,287 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns. He also had 693 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns. His 12 rushing touchdowns tied for the league lead. He earned First-team All-Pro honors and his third Pro Bowl selection.
Another Strong Season (2014)
In 2014, Charles signed a new contract with the Chiefs. In Week 2, he suffered an ankle injury. But he returned to form later in the season.
In Week 7, Charles passed Priest Holmes to become the Chiefs' all-time leading rusher. He finished the season with 1,033 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns. He was named to his third straight Pro Bowl.
More Injuries (2015-2016)
In 2015, Charles started strong with a receiving touchdown in Week 1. In Week 3, he scored a career-high three rushing touchdowns. However, in Week 5, he tore his ACL again, ending his season.
In 2016, Charles struggled to recover from his knee injury. He played in only three games, rushing for 40 yards and one touchdown. He needed another knee surgery and was placed on injured reserve. The Chiefs released him in February 2017.
Denver Broncos (2017)
In May 2017, Charles signed with the Denver Broncos. He was part of a group of running backs. In 14 games, he rushed for 296 yards and one touchdown.
Jacksonville Jaguars (2018)
Charles signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars in October 2018. He played in only two games, with limited action, before being released.
Retirement
On May 1, 2019, Jamaal Charles officially retired from the NFL. He signed a special one-day contract with the Chiefs to retire as a member of the team. He even took a ceremonial "last carry" from quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
In September 2023, Charles was nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was nominated again in 2024. In 2024, he was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
NFL Career Statistics
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| NFL record (for a Running Back) | |
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
Regular season
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Kick returns | Fumbles | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2008 | KC | 16 | 2 | 67 | 357 | 5.3 | 30 | 0 | 27 | 272 | 10.1 | 75 | 1 | 15 | 321 | 21.4 | 40 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 2009 | KC | 15 | 10 | 190 | 1,120 | 5.9 | 76T | 7 | 40 | 297 | 7.4 | 49 | 1 | 36 | 925 | 25.7 | 97T | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| 2010 | KC | 16 | 6 | 230 | 1,467 | 6.4 | 80 | 5 | 45 | 468 | 10.4 | 31 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 |
| 2011 | KC | 2 | 1 | 12 | 83 | 6.9 | 24 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 1.8 | 9 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| 2012 | KC | 16 | 15 | 285 | 1,509 | 5.3 | 91T | 5 | 35 | 236 | 6.7 | 22 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 3 |
| 2013 | KC | 15 | 15 | 259 | 1,287 | 5.0 | 46 | 12 | 70 | 693 | 9.9 | 71 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 2 |
| 2014 | KC | 15 | 15 | 206 | 1,033 | 5.0 | 63T | 9 | 40 | 291 | 7.3 | 30 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 3 |
| 2015 | KC | 5 | 5 | 71 | 364 | 5.1 | 34T | 4 | 21 | 177 | 8.4 | 26 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 |
| 2016 | KC | 3 | 0 | 12 | 40 | 3.3 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 7.0 | 16 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | DEN | 14 | 0 | 69 | 296 | 4.3 | 19 | 1 | 23 | 129 | 5.6 | 20 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 |
| 2018 | JAX | 2 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 1.2 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 3.5 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 119 | 69 | 1,407 | 7,563 | 5.4 | 91T | 44 | 310 | 2,593 | 8.4 | 75 | 51 | 1,246 | 24.4 | 97T | 1 | 29 | 20 | ||
Playoffs
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2010 | KC | 1 | 0 | 9 | 82 | 9.1 | 41 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2013 | KC | 1 | 1 | 3 | 18 | 6.0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | KC | 0 | 0 | did not play due to injury | |||||||||||
| 2016 | KC | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| Career | 2 | 1 | 12 | 100 | 8.3 | 41 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
Records and Honors
NFL Records
- Most receiving touchdowns by a running back in a single game: 4 (2013)
- Highest career yards-per-carry for running backs (minimum 1,000 attempts): 5.4
Kansas City Chiefs Records
- Longest rushing play from scrimmage: 91 yards (tied)
- Most career rushing yards: 7,260
- Most rushing yards in a single game: 259 (2010)
- Most receiving touchdowns in a game: 4 (tied)
Awards and Honors
- 2× First-team All-Pro (2010, 2013)
- Second-team All-Pro (2012)
- 4× Pro Bowl (2010, 2012–2014)
- NFL rushing touchdowns leader (2013)
- BCS national champion (2005)
- Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year (2005)
- First-team All-Big 12 (2007)
- Second-team All-Big 12 (2005)
Life After Football
After retiring from football, Charles faced challenges adjusting to life off the field. He found support through therapy. He now lives in Austin with his wife, Whitney.
He started the Jamaal Charles Family Foundation. He also works with the Special Olympics and the Boys & Girls Club, helping young people.
