Jamaal Charles says he would have taken pay cut to stay with Chiefs

If it were up to running back Jamaal Charles, he’d still be a member of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Charles appeared on the “Unmatched Sports with Cal Jones” podcast and said he somewhat expected — and would have taken — an offer of a pay cut to remain in Kansas City.

“I felt like it was more personal to the Chiefs than it was to me,” Charles said, via Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post. “Them letting me go, I love this community. I did a lot. I sweat, bleed, two ACLs, meniscus, I left that all out here in Kansas City. My heart will always be in Kansas City. It’s nothing personal.

“I thought maybe they would give me a grace period. But I haven’t performed the last two years,” he added. “At the same time, I know it was about business. I think it would have been cool if they came and told me about a pay cut because I think I would’ve taken that pay cut, because I think I owed it to them for allowing me to be on the team. But I felt like when I got that call, it was just like, man, it was just OK, man. If it can happen to Peyton Manning it can happen to anybody.”

The Broncos are certainly happy Charles isn’t running for the Chiefs anymore. Ultimately, though, it sounds like he still would be if it were up to him.