Rising from the Ashes: Isiah Pacheco ‘DECLARES W@R’ on the NFL, Determined to Fight alongside teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce to reclaim justice for the failed 2024 season!
The Kansas City Chiefs enter the 2025 season with only one goal on their mind: get back to the Super Bowl and win it. Following a disappointing performance in Super Bowl LIX, the team has gotten Travis Kelce back for at least one more season and made plenty of moves to fortify specific positions on the roster. But it could come down to incumbent players making plays for Patrick Mahomes on whether the team gets back on track.
Particularly on offense, the Chiefs need more out of their wide receivers and running backs in 2025. Both position groups suffered through injuries last season, but ineffectiveness was also a big issue. Some players dealt with both of those, including Isiah Pacheco. The third-year running back was set for a breakout year, but it never materialized for a multitude of reasons. Now, he looks set for a big bounce-back.
Isiah Pacheco adds weight ahead of fourth season in NFL
A recent report from The Kansas City Star’s Jesse Newell detailed how Pacheco “reshaped his body” during the offseason. That report was then justified when head coach Andy Reid spoke about Pacheco’s current shape: in short, he has bulked up.
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“Physically, he looks real good. He’s put on a couple pounds of good weight. He’d gotten himself down there a little bit last year and leaned up, but I think he looks tremendous right now.”
The running back claims he wanted to get heavier in order to deal better with injuries. In 2023, he dealt with a shoulder injury and also suffered a concussion. In 2024, he suffered a fibula fracture that knocked him out for seven games. He also suffered a rib injury right before the playoffs.
Pacheco getting back to his 2022 and 2023 form would be huge for the Chiefs offense. A big reason for the unit’s dip in efficiency and production last season was the lack of a strong run game. Pacheco was not himself in 2024, averaging 3.7 yards per carry and getting outplayed at times by veteran Kareem Hunt.
In better shape physically and with a bit of a chip on his shoulder following a disappointing 2024 season, Pacheco could be set up for a big season behind a retooled offensive line. Kansas City brought in some depth at running back in Elijah Mitchell and Brashard Smith, but Pacheco will enter the season as the team’s starter.
