Andy Reid gave a positive update on Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco.
The Kansas City Chiefs struck gold in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft, where they landed running back Isiah Pacheco. Pacheco became the Chiefs’ starting running back as a rookie, and has held that post ever since.
Pacheco had an injury-shortened 2025 campaign, only appearing in seven games, missing nine weeks due to a fractured fibula.
One of Pacheco’s goals coming into the offseason was to gain weight after dropping more pounds than anticipated during his injury recovery. According to Chiefs’ head coach Andy Reid, the difference has been clear, and he’s giving rave reviews of Pacheco.
“He looks good. Physically, he looks real good,” Reid said this week. “He’s put on a couple pounds of good weight. He’d gotten himself down there a little bit last year and leaned up, but, man, I think he looks tremendous right now.”
Pacheco also commented on the muscle himself, telling the Kansas City Star his goal was “going back to 216 (pounds), 4.37 (40-speed) Isiah Pacheco-style.”
“You’re out there working your tail off and just sweating every day and not eating enough to get the weight back,” Pacheco said regarding his drop in weight last season. “There’s not going to be as much time to gain weight during the season, rather than the offseason and the whole program that they have here for us.”
Pacheco didn’t look the same when he returned in Week 13, and it really hampered Kansas City’s usually reliable run game. Pacheco took just 13 carries in the Chiefs’ three playoff matchups, and only mustered up 37 yards (2.8 yards per carry).
In Pacheco’s first two NFL seasons, he played in 31 games, tallying 1,765 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was efficient on the ground, picking up 4.7 yards per carry. The Chiefs are hoping the regained weight can return Pacheco to starting form.
The Chiefs’ running back room is currently full of question marks. Besides a recovering Pacheco, the Chiefs have Kareem Hunt, who averaged just 3.6 yards per carry last season, Elijah Mitchell, and rookie Brashard Smith. They also have second-year fullback Carson Steele, who had a really promising Week 3 outing for the Chiefs, but averaged just 2.8 yards per carry in the following 15 weeks of the season, and didn’t receive a carry from Weeks 12-16.
