The morning after the Kansas City Chiefs’ Week 2 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on September 15, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter provided an injury update on KC running back Isiah Pacheco.
“Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco is expected to land on injured reserve with the fibula injury he suffered Sunday vs. the Bengals, meaning he will miss a minimum of four weeks and quite possibly longer, per sources. He is undergoing additional testing today to determine the full damage,” Schefter posted initially.
Continuing: “Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco underwent X-rays last night and will undergo an MRI today to determine if there is a fracture and or ligament damage to his ankle. But they are preparing for him to land on injured reserve.”
Around the same time, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport also reported that Pacheco “fractured his fibula.” But he did add that this assessment was based on initial testing, confirming that “more tests” would occur on September 16.
Rapoport suggested a potential four- to eight-week timeline.
Kansas City has already lost star wide receiver Hollywood Brown to the injured reserve for the remainder of the 2024 regular season, per Schefter and ESPN. Now their star running back will likely join him for at least four weeks.
Chiefs Beat Reporter & KC Doctor Break Down Isiah Pacheco Injury Update: Surgery Would ‘Likely End’ Season
Arrowhead Pride beat reporter Pete Sweeney reacted to the breaking news from Schefter and Rapoport on September 16, along with a key note from Arrowhead Pride staff doctor Dakota Watson within his article.
“The timeline for Pacheco’s return to play can vary depending on the location of the injury,” the medical practitioner said. “The nature of the injury also makes a high ankle sprain possible. Further testing will determine Pacheco’s prognosis.”
Watson warned that “if surgery is warranted, then this will likely end [Pacheco’s] season.”
Sweeney predicted that undrafted rookie Carson Steele will be the “first man up” after the Pacheco injury — so long as KC doesn’t acquire a bigger name — with veteran Samaje Perine working in on third downs and pass-catching situations.
He also said the Chiefs could call up either Keaontay Ingram or Emani Bailey from the practice squad for depth. He pointed out that veteran RB Jerick McKinnon, a two-time Super Bowl champion, is still available in free agency as well.
Assuming he’s willing to return, McKinnon does not profile as a lead back but would make sense as another third-down option for the Chiefs with built-in knowledge of the offense and prior chemistry with Patrick Mahomes. The free agent turned 32 years old in May.
Chiefs Beat Reporter Refutes Insider Report on Isiah Pacheco
Shortly after the updates from Schefter and Rapoport on September 16, Chiefs Digest beat reporter Matt Derrick offered reporting that differed slightly from the insiders’ reporting but was not necessarily better.
“The fracture is in his ankle, I’m told,” Derrick said. “The Chiefs haven’t put a timeline on Pacheco’s return. Normally the return from a similar injury is around 12 weeks.”
Based on these reports, there is a chance that Pacheco could return for the back half of the season and, like Brown, a potential playoff run. Of course, that’s assuming surgery is not needed.
The severity of Pacheco’s injury could be determined as soon as the afternoon of Monday, September 16.
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Chiefs Get Disappointing Injury Update on RB Isiah Pacheco: Insider