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Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco has been sidelined since Week 3 with a broken fibula. Though Chiefs head coach Andy Reid hasn’t given a definitive update on when Pacheco will return, NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport revealed when the team expects him to return.
“My understanding is Pacheco, who suffered a fractured fibula, is expected to resume practicing in two to three weeks,” Rapoport said on NFL GameDay on November 3.
That timeline puts Pacheco on track to be active for the final stretch of the regular season.
Kareem Hunt Has Filled in Admirably as Chiefs’ RB1
During Pacheco’s absence, the Chiefs have relied on veteran running back Kareem Hunt to be the team’s primary ballcarrier. In four games played for the Chiefs this season, Hunt has registered 308 rushing yards on 84 rushing attempts — 3.67 yards per carry — and four rushing touchdowns. That’s a large workload for a 29-year-old running back who was a free agent heading into the regular season.
When asked if Hunt’s workload is sustainable for the foreseeable future, Chiefs head coach Reid expressed confidence in the veteran back.
“Well, listen, he (Kareem Hunt) didn’t have training camp, so I look at it like it’s the third day of training camp,” Reid explained during his press conference on October 28. “He’ll start picking it up as we go here now. He’s had good work, and I think it will be even more productive going forward.”
Though the two-time defending Super Bowl champions shouldn’t continue to rely on Hunt to carry the ball 20+ times each game, Hunt’s durability and reliability as a rusher has been a welcomed addition to the roster amid injuries.
Patrick Mahomes Discusses Battling Through Adversity This Season
Despite dealing with significant injuries to Pacheco, Rashee Rice, Hollywood Brown, and Jaylen Watson, the Chiefs are still 7-0 heading into Week 9 and are in the driver’s seat in the AFC. That speaks to the resiliency this Kansas City squad has in a season in which the Chiefs are trying to make history by winning a third-straight championship.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes spoke to the media on November 1 and discussed the challenges associated with having a rotating cast of players on offense due to injuries.
“I think the challenge comes more throughout the week just because you’re putting new guys in different positions and asking them to go out there and execute, but once you get the work in throughout the week — I think we’ve done a great job of executing on game day and hitting some of those throws,” Mahomes said. “Obviously, it’s forced guys to have bigger roles than we expected earlier in the season, but at the same time I feel like guys have kind of accepted the challenge and that’s why we’ve been able to win the games that we’ve been able to win.”
Kansas City will try to continue its win streak in Week 9 when the Chiefs face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Arrowhead Stadium. That game will be played on Monday, November 4 at 7:15 p.m. Central Time and will be available to watch on ESPN.
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