How RB Hunt Could Easily Carry Chiefs' Run Game Again

The Kansas City Chiefs made sure to keep an important player in the ground game on the roster in the form of running back Kareem Hunt. After his third season with the franchise, the front office saw enough to want to keep him apart of the process going into the future; at least for another year.

Hunt was originally drafted by the Chiefs in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft, and since he's donned a Kansas City unifrom, he's only had success. In his three seasons as a Chief, he has led the roster in rushing yards each year, (2017: 1,327 yards, 2018: 824 yards 2024: 728 yards).

While several feel that the younger running backs on the roster could see their game improve going into the new year, bringing back Hunt is a way for the Chiefs to tell their fans that they must view Hunt as a "if it a'int broke, don't fix it," type of situation.

The franchise did bring in veteran running back Elijah Mitchell from the San Francisco 49ers for added depth, as he too has proven he can shine at times when the ball is in his hands. The biggest question mark in the running back room going into the new campaign, though, has to be Isiah Pacheco.

Pacheco has shown glimpses of being the next true running back star for the Chiefs, but as of last season, in the games he did play, that hope of stardom might have fizzled out. In just seven games before going down to injury, Pacheco was able to record 310 rushing yards and score a mere one touchdown.

In the past, though, when Hunt wasn't on the roster, Pacheco filled that ground game role nicely, as he averaged 882.5 rushing yards between the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Still young, he would need to have a stellar year for the Chiefs to feel confident in his abilities for the future.

All that being said, Hunt should be the main focus in the running game until someone else can step up and prove they can do it better than he can. The Chiefs made a smart move in bringing him back, but the move not only gives them insurance at the position. Hopefully, it will light a fire underneath the other running backs to perform at a higher level in 2025.

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