The Kansas City Chiefs pulled out a win against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday to move to 2-0, but they lost an important piece along the way: star running back Isiah Pacheco.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Pacheco fractured his right fibula late in the Chiefs’ 26-25 victory and is “set to miss real time.” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Pacheco will be placed on injured reserve, meaning he’ll miss a minimum of four weeks before he can return. That shouldn’t be a problem for Pacheco, who is reportedly expected to miss six to eight weeks.
Head coach Andy Reid didn’t have much to say about the injury when he spoke to the media following the game. He hadn’t yet talked to Pacheco, who was still undergoing tests. When Pacheco left the stadium, he was seen wearing a walking boot and using crutches.
To replace the gaping hole Pacheco leaves on the offense, the Chiefs are reportedly bringing in their former running back and current free agent Kareem Hunt for a visit on Tuesday. The Chiefs drafted Hunt in 2017 in the third round and he had a breakout rookie season for them, rushing for over 1,300 yards, making the Pro Bowl, and finishing second in AP Offensive Rookie of the Year voting.
The Chiefs released him in November 2018 after a video surfaced that allegedly showed Hunt physically pushing and kicking a woman on the ground. He was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list and didn’t play for the remainder of the 2018 season. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns the following year and played for them after serving an eight-game suspension.