Five-year veteran running back Isiah Pacheco agreed to terms on a new contract with the Detroit Lions. Pacheco, a former seventh-round pick, spent the entirety of his career with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Isiah Pacheco, Lions, Agree to Contract
Isiah Pacheco spent the 2025 regular season sharing backfield snaps with fellow veteran and teammate Kareem Hunt. Led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes on offense, Pacheco’s season was marked by another injury-plagued year, where he struggled to regain his previous form. In total, Pacheco appeared in just 13 total games, recording 118 carries (3.9 on average) for 462 rushing yards and one rushing and receiving touchdown. Despite his efforts, the Kansas City Chiefs finished the 2025 campaign, missing the playoffs for the first time in almost a decade at 6-11.
Pacheco originally entered the league as a seventh-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Selected by the Kansas City Chiefs, the Rutgers product spent his rookie season in a “committee approach” behind Jerick McKinnon and Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Appearing in 17 games while making 11 starts, Pacheco finished his inaugural season with 830 rushing yards and 130 receiving yards (a total of 960 scrimmage yards), alongside five touchdowns on the ground, and returned 29 kickoffs for 597 yards.
Following a breakout, Pacheco cemented his role and became the team’s lead back in the second year of his rookie contract. The running back appeared in 14 games while starting 13, who just underwent surgeries to repair a torn labrum and broken hand, which he stated he had played through during the Super Bowl in his rookie year. Pacheco finished the 2023 season with 205 carries for 935 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns to go with 44 receptions for 244 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns. With his help, the Chiefs won a second consecutive Super Bowl with Mahomes under center.
Kansas City added Kareem Hunt in the following offseason, and his presence pushed Pacheco into a smaller role due to injuries. While he appeared in seven regular-season games, he started six of them. Pacheco finished the 2024 campaign with 83 carries for 310 yards and one touchdown.
Since signing his rookie contract, Isiah Pacheco appeared in 51 games while making 42 starts. While on the field, the Rutgers product has recorded 2,537 rushing yards, 554 receiving yards, and a combined 17 touchdowns.
