Who is the starting running back for Chiefs? Exploring Kansas City's rushing star's status for Super Bowl

The Kansas City Chiefs are on the verge of greatness. Entering Super Bowl Sunday, they need just one more win to become the first-ever team to win three Super Bowls in a row. They have already defeated the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers in recent years.

One key addition to the Chiefs' success in the past two years has been Isiah Pacheco. The 7th-round pick does not put superstar numbers on this offense, but he knows how to find the end zone. When healthy, Pacheco used to be Kansas City's starter running back.

But since returning from a serious injury suffered midway through the year, his performances have been suffering. Pacheco has not surpassed 20 rushing yards in any of the past three games, and he has had 5-5-6 carries.

As such, the Chiefs have been starting Kareem Hunt in the playoffs, with the veteran running back holding a bigger % of snaps and running more efficiently. Hunt will be the starter for Kansas City in Super Bowl LIX.

Chiefs found saving grace with Pacheco after Clyde Edwards-Helaire's failure

As the defending champions in 2020, Andy Reid and Brett Veach had the luxury of using a first-round pick in a running back to improve the offense. While Edwards-Helaire was never a bad running back, it quickly became clear that he would not develop into a superstar.

His first two years were all but unchallenged. However, in 2022, the Chiefs used a late-round pick on Pacheco, hoping to build depth at the position. The change came quicker than expected: in Week 7 of that year, Pacheco was already the starter running back.

He has not lost this job ever since. Against the Eagles in Super Bowl LVII, he scored a touchdown and ended with 76 rushing yards; a year later, he scored touchdowns in three straight postseason games, but did not leave his mark in the Super Bowl.

Pacheco will be a free agent in the 2026 season. He will look for the biggest payday in free agency, as his salary with Kansas City was low for four straight years due to being a 7th-round pick. Stopgap options such as Kareem Hunt and Carson Steele do not give the Chiefs the same number of prolific options to work with the ball.

Kansas City released Kareem Hunt midseason following assault videos emerged

The running back, then a second-year star, was having a great season in 2018 when his deal was cut short. Videotape surfaced of Hunt assaulting a woman, kicking her after pushing her to the ground.

His return to the NFL happened a year later with the Cleveland Browns, and he played there until 2023.