Chiefs' Isiah Pacheco Makes Family History

It was a great offseason for Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco. Not only does Pacheco feel ready to go for the 2025 season after suffering an injury last season, but he also got his degree. Pacheco graduated from the University of Rutgers where he played college football. Pacheco was drafted by the Chiefs in the 7th round of the 2022 NFL Draft and is now the starting running back.

"It means so much to me and my family to be the first-generation graduate,” Pacheco said on Thursday. “It’s a big part of my career that I wanted to finish, and I had to go back—and I did it. I’m so blessed.”

"Pacheco completed his coursework through online classes after the Chiefs' season, using the offseason to focus on college and working out," said Nick Sloan of ABC News.

“It started in the spring, so once the Super Bowl finished up, I was able to go back, hit it hard, lock in, and put all my mental toughness toward that,” he said.

“One time I was in class and saw an older gentleman there. I thought, ‘It’s never too late to go back,’” he said. “He was probably one of the tallest students in there, but he was older. That right there was motivation. You’re never too old to go back and get your degree.”

Pacheco went to Rutgers from 2018-2021.

In his last season at Rutgers Pacheco made his mark.

Started all nine games at running back ... named Fourth Team All-Big Ten byPhil Steele(1/6) ... led the team and ranked eighth in the Big Ten with 515 rushing yards on 116 carries ... averaged 4.44 yards per attempt ... registered five runs of at least 20 yards a long of 66 ... scored four touchdowns (three rushing, one receiving) ... collected 19 receptions for 130 yards ... third on the team with 645 all-purpose yards ... picked up 20 first down via the rush and five via the pass.

Pacheco achievements at Rutgers:

2021 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten (Coaches & Media)

2021 All-ECAC Offense

2021 Academic All-Big Ten

2021 Team Captain

2020 Phil Steele Fourth Team All-Big Ten

Pacheco will be ready to go next season and is looking to be back to his old form. Last season, Pacheco came back at the end of the season, but did not look like himself. And that could have been because he came back too fast. But now he has had the proper recovery time and will be back.

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