There’s no denying that the run game last season for the Kansas City Chiefs left a lot to be desired, and in truth, there were a couple of factors that made it so.

The big one was the injury to Isiah Pacheco in Week 2, which forced Kareem Hunt, who was on the couch, to get thrust into the starting role, and while he performed well, there wasn’t the home-run threat that makes defenses nervous.

But they might have it now with Elijah Mitchell being signed from the San Francisco 49ers this offseason. Known for his speed, having Mitchell behind Patrick Mahomes will give defenses something to think about.

For Elijah, he missed the entire 2024 season due to a hamstring injury, but he’s back fully healthy as training camp rolls on, and he’s detailed an element of the run game that has him raring to go.

“Running the ball, catching the ball out the back-field is huge,” Mitchell said. “I did the same thing in San Francisco. So, man, I’m excited. I’m excited for it.”

Exactly what the run game will look like is unknown, but with a healthy Pacheco, Hunt, who now will have a full offseason to get in football shape, plus a rejuvenated Mitchell, there are multiple avenues the Chiefs can attack defenses with now.

Pacheco and Hunt can be the bruising runners, while Mitchell is the twinkle-toed back who can slip through a crack and then hit his head on the goal post.

The Chiefs have their doubters in 2025, but the run game might just be key in making them believers.