Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco has bulked up during the offseason after he struggled to find form in 2024 following a severe fibula injury.
Isiah Pacheco struggles after fibula fracture
Last year was by far the most difficult season Isiah Pacheco has faced during his three years in the NFL as a horrific fibula fracture in week 2 ruled the Chiefs star out for six weeks.
Although he made a miraculous recovery from what could have been a career-ending injury, the two-time Super Bowl winner was not the same force of old when he came back to the field.
Through weeks 8-18 the Chiefs superstar was used sparingly and he didn’t have anywhere near as big an impact as he did in his first three years despite Kansas City making the Super Bowl.
Pacheco managed just 310 yards from 83 carries in 2024, a number which is dwarfed by his two campaigns before when the Chiefs running back notched up 800+ yards both times during the regular season.
Kareem Hunt took over as RB1 when Pacheco dropped out of the team and he managed 728 yards for seven touchdowns once his role was upgraded.
A new look for Isiah Pacheco
This year things are different and now Pacheco has had time to recover from his injury he could be back to his dangerous best in 2025.
Speaking during OTA’s this summer, Pacheco described how he is ready to attack the new year having now put on some much-needed weight following his fracture.
“Just going back to 216, 4.37 Isiah Pacheco-style,” he said on his weight gain.
“You’re out there working your tail off and just sweating every day and not eating enough to get the weight back,” Pacheco said regarding last season. “There’s not going to be as much time to gain weight during the season, rather than the offseason and the whole program that they have here for us.”
Isiah Pacheco is putting that extra work in. Here is to a bounceback season. 😤
🎥: IG | lil_poppy856 pic.twitter.com/orS6TFP9Lu
— Brad Henson Productions (@BradHensonPro) March 28, 2025
Even Chiefs head coach Andy Reid was excited by the prospect of having a full-health Pacheco at his disposal again this year.
“He’s put on a couple pounds of good weight,” head coach Andy Reid said of Pacheco. “He got himself down there a little bit last year and leaned up. But man, I think he looks tremendous right now.”
It was clear that Pacheco is in a much better place nearly a year down the line from his fibula fracture and it is important that he makes a strong return during an important year in his career.
This season Pacheco enters the final year of his rookie deal and if he is going to be rewarded with a long-term contract in Kansas City that his first two years so richly deserve, he will need to have a great year 4.
