Nobody expected the 2025 season to end like this for the Kansas City Chiefs. If you told a fan a year ago that Patrick Mahomes would be recovering from an ACL tear while the team missed the playoffs, they’d probably laugh in your face. But here we are. It’s January 2026, and the conversation in Kansas City has shifted from Super Bowl parades to a much bleaker reality. Specifically, the future of the backfield is a mess.
Kareem Hunt is a name that carries a lot of weight in this city. When he first came back in 2024, it felt like a movie script. The prodigal son returning to save a season after Isiah Pacheco went down with a fractured fibula. And for a while, it actually worked. Hunt wasn't just a body; he was the engine. He led the team in rushing yards (728) and touchdowns (7) despite missing the start of that season. He looked like the veteran the Chiefs desperately needed.
But 2025 changed the vibe.
The Reality of the Hunt-Pacheco Split
Look, the "1a and 1b" narrative sounds nice on a depth chart, but it’s rarely that simple in the dirt. Most people think Isiah Pacheco is the undisputed workhorse when he's healthy. Honestly? That hasn't been true for a long time.
Pacheco is a violent runner. We love him for it. He hits the hole like he’s trying to break the ground itself. But that violence comes with a cost. After that fibula injury in 2024, he just hasn't looked the same. The burst is... different. Then came the MCL sprain in late 2025. It’s been one thing after another.
By the time we hit the final stretch of this past season, the snap counts told a story that most fans didn't want to hear. Pacheco was getting about 52% of the work, and Kareem Hunt was hovering around 40%. On paper, that’s a committee. In reality, it was a struggle for both of them to find any rhythm behind an offensive line that, frankly, didn't do them many favors.
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Neither back managed to average four yards per carry in 2025. That is a staggering stat for an Andy Reid offense. It’s why the Chiefs' rushing attack plummeted to 25th in the league. When the run game dies, the whole RPO (Run-Pass Option) system starts to lean too heavily on a quarterback. And without Mahomes under center for the back half of the year, the limitations of the Hunt/Pacheco duo were laid bare.
What Really Happened With Kareem Hunt’s Role?
Kareem Hunt isn't the 2017 version of himself. We know that. He’s 30 years old now. In NFL years, that’s basically ancient for a guy who takes hits for a living.
Last season, Hunt’s efficiency took a massive hit. He had games where he’d carry the ball 30 times—like that Week 12 win over the Colts where he gritted out 104 yards—but then he’d follow it up with a 2.5-yard average against Houston. He’s still got the vision. He still knows where the gap is going to be before it opens. But the "twitch" is fading.
There was a moment in Week 18 against the Raiders that felt like a goodbye. Hunt only had five carries. He looked tired. He had just come off an illness, sure, but there’s a sense that the wheels are finally starting to wobble.
The Contract Problem Nobody Talks About
This is where it gets spicy. Both Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco are hitting free agency right now. As in, today.
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The Chiefs are currently staring at a salary cap situation that looks like a horror movie. They are projected to be roughly $58 million over the cap entering this offseason. You can't just hand out "thank you" contracts in that environment.
Pacheco, being a former seventh-round pick, has been one of the best value players in the league. But he’s going to want to get paid. This is his chance for a real contract. Can the Chiefs justify paying a back who has struggled with lower-body injuries in consecutive years and seen his YPC (yards per carry) drop steadily? Probably not.
Then you have Hunt. He signed a one-year deal for about $1.5 million last year. He’s a veteran leader, and he’s tight with the core of this team. But at 30, is he worth another roster spot if you’re trying to get younger and more explosive?
The Travis Etienne Rumors
If you’ve been on sports Twitter lately, you’ve seen the Travis Etienne rumors. Experts like Matt Johnson are already predicting the Chiefs will move on from both Hunt and Pacheco to sign Etienne from the Jaguars.
It makes sense, sort of. Etienne is 27. He can catch passes out of the backfield better than anyone currently on the KC roster. He’d be the perfect safety valve for Mahomes when he returns from his ACL recovery.
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If the Chiefs pull that off, it officially ends the "angry runner" era of Pacheco and the "redemption" era of Hunt. It’s cold, but that’s the business.
Why It Matters for 2026
So, where does this leave you if you’re trying to figure out what happens next?
Basically, the Chiefs' backfield is an open construction site. If you're a fantasy manager or just a die-hard fan, don't get too attached to the names on the back of the jerseys right now.
- Isiah Pacheco is a major injury risk. His style of play is unsustainable without a high-end offensive line, and his efficiency stats (failing to hit 60 yards in a single game for a long stretch) are a massive red flag.
- Kareem Hunt is likely a backup or a specialist moving forward. He still has value as a goal-line back or a pass protector, but he’s no longer a "bell-cow" runner.
- The Draft and Free Agency will be the tell. Keep a very close eye on the "legal tampering" period in March. If the Chiefs don't move to re-sign Pacheco early, he’s gone.
The Chiefs are at a crossroads. They tried the veteran reunion with Hunt. They tried the high-energy youth with Pacheco. Neither could overcome a shaky line and a depleted passing game in 2025.
Next Steps for Fans and Analysts:
- Watch the Cap Casualties: Before the Chiefs can sign anyone, they have to cut. See how they handle the contracts of other veterans to see if they’re clearing room for a big-name back like Etienne.
- Track the Scouting Reports: If the Chiefs don't go the free-agent route, look for them to target a "zone-scheme" runner in the 3rd or 4th round of the 2026 Draft.
- Check the Medicals: All eyes are on Pacheco’s knee and Hunt’s overall durability. If Hunt signs a one-year "vet minimum" elsewhere, it’s a sign that the league sees him as a rotational piece only.
The era of Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco in Kansas City was fun, violent, and at times, heroic. But the numbers don't lie, and the cap doesn't care about nostalgia. It's time for something new at Arrowhead.