Here’s how Chiefs’ Willie Gay felt in his return game following 4-week NFL suspension

Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay had eight tackles and a half-sack in last week’s 44-23 road victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

It still didn’t feel perfect, he says — an understandable fact given it was his return from a four-game NFL suspension.

“I could feel I was off a tad bit, but not crazy — not a crazy amount. But it was fun,” Gay said Wednesday in front of his locker. “I had a lot of fun being back out there, putting that energy somewhere else other than my backyard with the dogs.”

Gay’s four-game absence for violating the league’s personal conduct policy stemmed from a January incident; he was charged with criminal damage to property totaling less than $1,000 after an altercation with his ex-partner, who alleged that he pushed her on a couch.

Gay settled his case legally in July with a diversion agreement, with the NFL later handing down his suspension on Sept. 19.

For Gay, the time without football dragged on, as KC went 2-2 in his absence.

“Four weeks without doing the same thing that you do over 20 weeks, consistently — four weeks without that ... my first day back at practice, my feet were getting tangled up,” Gay said. “I was like, ‘Oh man, I’ve gotta get right.’”

Though Gay worked on conditioning during his break, he said regaining trust in football motions took some time.

“It’s one thing to just run and get in shape. It’s another thing to go against an O-line and work your steps, your moves and stuff,” Gay said. “I’m back to normal now, though.”

The Chiefs appeared to make an effort to ease Gay back into the lineup. He played 56% of the team’s defensive snaps against San Francisco — much less than the amount he’d played in the opening 2022 contests against Arizona (74%) and the Los Angeles Chargers (92%).

“They wanted to take care of me a little bit, but I think we’re full go this week,” Gay said. “So I’m ready.”

Gay’s full return to the lineup comes as the Chiefs’ defense will adjust to having another player on suspension. The league announced last week that defensive end Frank Clark would sit out two games for violating its personal conduct policy in relation to Clark’s two arrests last season for gun charges in Los Angeles.

As far as his own return to playing, Gay said it was “wonderful” to be back in a game. He also admitted the 49ers contest led to some distinct emotions.

“I was just so anxious to get back out there and just make a tackle or to shed a block or anything. Just to feel like I was a part of this again,” Gay said. “It’s just a great feeling — a blessing to be out there.”