Chiefs RB Kareem Hunt envisions a familiar and potent one-two punch upon Isiah Pacheco's return
Kansas City Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco was back at practice on Wednesday after missing the last eight weeks on injured reserve. He's not expected to play in Week 11 against the Buffalo Bills, but the team has 21 days to activate him to the 53-man roster. Suddenly, the Chiefs look quite rich at the running back position. […]
Kansas City Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco was back at practice on Wednesday after missing the last eight weeks on injured reserve. He's not expected to play in Week 11 against the Buffalo Bills, but the team has 21 days to activate him to the 53-man roster. Suddenly, the Chiefs look quite rich at the running back position.
Kareem Hunt has been holding down the fort alongside Samaje Perine and Carson Steele over the past few months. Hunt has been one of the most productive rushers in the league since rejoining the team in September, recording 125 carries for 449 yards and five rushing scores in six games. Before he got hurt, Pacheco was pacing for 289 carries for 1,147 yards and eight rushing touchdowns. It would have been the single most productive season of his career.
Who will the Chiefs go with as their lead running back moving forward? Expect a healthy dose of both players when Pacheco is healthy and ready to go.
"I think that's great, man," Hunt told reporters on Wednesday. "I'm happy for him, and I know he's excited to get back and get out there. I think it's going to be a heck of a one-two punch."
The Chiefs have a rich tradition of running backs in the franchise, but they haven't always had two great ones at the same time, especially in recent years. They had a good duo in 2010 with Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones. Going back to the early 2000s the team had Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson.
Hunt is familiar with this type of one-two punch, as he spent the last five seasons alongside All-Pro RB Nick Chubb in Cleveland. The pair combined for over 10,000 rushing yards with the Browns from 2019 through 2023, making for the most potent rushing attack in the league. Could the return of Pacheco resemble something similar to what Hunt was a part of with Chubb in Cleveland?
"I think it could be very similar," Hunt explained. "Man, I'm excited. I'm used to working with other great backs and stuff like that. So, I feel like it's going to be another great one-two punch."
Time will tell how effective Pacheco will be in his return, but his return should only be viewed as a boon to Hunt and the rest of Kansas City's offense.