Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco is rebounding from a challenging season.
After posting over 800 rushing yards in each of his first two NFL seasons, the former seventh-round pick turned starter managed only 310 rushing yards and 389 scrimmage yards in 2024. A fractured fibula sidelined him for much of the year, limiting him to 7 regular season games. Even more troubling was his playoff showing, with just 37 rushing yards across 3 games and a postseason yards-per-carry average of 2.8.
With Kareem Hunt returning and Elijah Mitchell joining the backfield, plus the Chiefs likely targeting a rookie or undrafted free agent from the strong 2025 running back class, questions swirl about Pacheco’s future as he heads into a contract year.
That said, at the NFL owner’s meeting on March 31, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid offered a ringing endorsement of Pacheco while speaking to the press.
“I think [Pacheco will] be even better this year,” Reid told reporters on Monday morning (via The Kansas City Star’s Jesse Newell). “He was forcing that [leg] coming back.”
Reid elaborated that while Pacheco was medically cleared to play, film review showed subtle differences in his performance.
“When you’re looking at [the film], it’s minute stuff, just maybe that ability to cut as quick as he did before,” Reid explained. “Now, it’s still quick, but you’re talking inches here. Was it what he could do before? Well, it wasn’t.”
The Chiefs head coach also praised Pacheco’s toughness, pointing out that “most guys probably wouldn’t have come back [from a fractured fibula]” at all, but Pacheco isn’t like most players.
“He was getting better every week,” Reid concluded. “I think you’ll see him [get] back to what he was before.”
NFL Insider Reported Chiefs Won’t Extend Isiah Pacheco Until RB ‘Proves’ He’s Healthy
KC has successfully retained several key free agents in 2025. But will Chiefs GM Brett Veach look to lock up any of the 2026 free agents early this offseason?
For Pacheco, veteran NFL insider Tony Pauline reported that a contract extension isn’t on the horizon just yet.
“An extension for running back Isiah Pacheco, who is in the final year of his rookie deal, won’t be considered until the season starts and the former seventh-round pick proves he’s back to health and prior form,” Pauline wrote on February 28.
This approach feels logical and reflects smart management by Kansas City, even with Reid’s high opinion of the dynamic runner.
After all, former first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire never regained his early-career spark after injuries, and a fractured fibula is no minor setback. Despite public optimism, Pacheco will need to fight for his starting role in 2025 and earn a new deal in 2026.
Chiefs Prefer to Employ Skill Position Players Who Are Familiar With & Fit Their System
One advantage Pacheco holds is his experience within Reid’s playbook.
Looking solely at running backs, KC has a habit of bringing back familiar faces. Barring a major drop-off this year, it seems probable that Pacheco will re-sign with the Chiefs in 2026.
That might mean a short-term contract next offseason, like Hunt’s this March, or a longer extension if he shines.
Whether it’s Edwards-Helaire, Jerick McKinnon, Hunt, or a contributor like Charcandrick West from Reid’s early KC days, the Chiefs have shown they favor re-signing running backs who suit their scheme.
The same could happen with Pacheco, though that doesn’t guarantee he’ll stay the clear RB1.
Michael Obermuller covers the NFL for Heavy.com, where he began writing in 2021. His areas of focus specialize on the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers, with expert knowledge on each based on years of coverage. An NYC area native and Quinnipiac graduate, his previous bylines include Heavy on Jets, FanDuel’s The Duel, King Fantasy Sports and Pro Football Mania. More about Michael Obermuller
