The Detroit Lions provided a pretty devastating update on running back Isiah Pacheco ahead of Week 2. Head coach Dan Campbell confirmed Monday that Pacheco underwent surgery and added the running back would be out “a significant amount of time.”
NFL insider Ian Rapoport gave more details. Rapoport’s reporting confirmed Pacheco will be out a significant portion of the regular season.
“Lions RB Isiah Pacheco had surgery to remove a body that was pressing on a nerve in his back, source said,” wrote Rapoport on X. “It’s a 12 week recovery with a chance he’s back by early in December.
“Originally Pacheco had an MCL injury, then hurt his back while training.”
For Lions and NFL fans following along, Pacheco’s knee was indeed the bigger concern with the running back early in training camp. But in August, Campbell switched his concern to Pacheco’s back.
Detroit’s first game in December is a road matchup against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, December 6. The Lions will host the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, December 13.
The Lions signed Pacheco in NFL free agency to serve as a primary backup to All-Pro Jahmyr Gibbs. Pundits expected Pacheco to replace David Montgomery, who the Lions traded to the Houston Texans early in the offseason.
Montgomery had 716 rushing yards and eight touchdowns for Detroit last season.
Lions’ Isiah Pacheco to Miss 12 Weeks With Back Injury
The Lions have arguably the best running back in the league in Gibbs. But with a star at such an injury-prone position, the Lions were trying to get younger at RB2 with Pacheco this season.
The former Kansas City Chiefs runner also appeared to be a nice match to pair with Gibbs.
But fans haven’t seen Pacheco on the field with Gibbs much yet. The free agent signee missed a lot of time in August recovering from the two ailments.
With a potential December return, Pacheco could provide the Lions backfield a boost for the stretch run. But the team is looking at the running back missing at least the first 10 games of the regular season.
Pacheco rushed for 462 yards with a touchdown in 13 games with the Chiefs last season. He ran for a career-high 935 yards with seven touchdowns in 2023.
Over 51 career games in Kansas City, Pacheco had 2,537 rushing yards with 14 scores. He won two Super Bowls with the Chiefs in his first two seasons.
How Lions Replace Pacheco Until December
With the Pacheco news, the Lions will continue forward with Sione Vaki and Jacob Saylors as their running backs behind Gibbs. That’s a scary proposition, as Vaki and Saylors have 11 combined carries in their NFL careers.
Clearly, Gibbs will be Detroit’s bell-cow. He was going to be that anyway. But with no proven depth, the Lions have to be careful going forward with Gibbs’ usage.
It wouldn’t be surprising if the Lions explore the running back market for more proven insurance. In the rumor mill, Kareem Hunt has been a popular suggestion since August when Pacheco proved to be significantly less than 100%.
Hunt has rushed for 5,775 yards in 121 career NFL games. He led the league in rushing as a rookie during the 2017 season.
The Lions, though, are unlikely to add any external running backs before Week 2. Detroit is on a short week, traveling to face the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night, September 17.
Lions Dealt More Unfortunate News on RB Isiah Pacheco