The Kansas City Chiefs’ No. 1 running back has been a key asset to their offense. However, Isaiah Pacheco has plenty to prove in a contract year.
The Kansas City Chiefs are one of the top teams in the NFL with three consecutive Super Bowl appearances to their name, including two in a row from 2022-2023. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been the rock and engine of the franchise with three Lombardi trophies to his name, including multiple MVPs.
Kansas City is known for its quarterback, explosive offenses, and a disciplined defense that has become a force in recent years under defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. However, if you’re looking for this team to be a run-heavy offense, you’d be sadly mistaken.
The last time a Chiefs running back ran for over 1,000 yards was Mahomes’ rookie year in 2017, when Kareem Hunt tallied 1,327 yards in his first tenure with the franchise. The closest player to get to the threshold is fourth-year runner Isiah Pacheco, who ran for 935 yards in 2023.
Pacheco has been one of the Chiefs key offensive assets in the last three seasons. He’s known for his hard-running style that makes him a handful to stop in the open-field and can win the corner quality with explosiveness. For all intents and purposes, he’s the team’s workhorse running back.
Yet, he enters his contract season with the franchise with plenty to prove. Health has been an issue for the 25-year-old tailback, having only played just 21 games in two season out of a possible 34. He has also had his spell of inconsistencies as a ball carrier, leading to more compeition behind him with Hunt, free-agent signee Elijah Mitchell, and seventh-round draft pick Brashard Smith.
A former seventh-round pick himself, Pacheco has beaten the odds and become a key player in Kansas City’s offense. However, the depth behind the former Rutgers standout tailback leads to some concern for his future in the Midwest beyond 2025. Pacheco averaged just over 16 yards per game in his last five matchups, including in the postseason, where he finished with just seven yards in Super Bowl LIX.
Pacheco is a talented runner, but so is Smith, who hails from an explosive SMU offense and provides value in the passing game as a former wide receiver. This is a critical season for Pacheco and if he maintain his healthy and play with more consistency, a new contract is certainly on the table for the former late-round draft pick.
