With the Kansas City Chiefs’ playoff hopes hanging by a thread, some fans are already looking towards the offseason, hoping the team can retool for the 2026 season. One position that will be at the top of the list is running back.
This season, the Chiefs’ running game has left much to be desired, averaging 118.9 yards per game heading into Week 15. Kansas City was likely hoping that Isiah Pacheco, in particular, could spearhead this unit, as he’s set to become a free agent in 2026.
A strong season from Pacheco would be good not only for him but also for the Chiefs. However, that hasn’t happened (averaging a career-low 37.5 rushing yards per game), which has put his future with the team in jeopardy.
According to Chiefs Blitz, ESPN’s Nate Taylor said on 96.5 The Fan on Friday that Pacheco is not involved in the organization’s plan for next season. He also mentioned that the front office knows it's finally time to invest in the RB position.
Isiah Pacheco’s Days in Kansas City Are Slowly Coming to an End
As you can imagine, Chiefs fans weren’t shocked to hear this, as Pacheco’s performance this season has been poor. In last week's loss to the Houston Texans, the 26-year-old running back had a terrible 30 yards on nine carries.
The hope was that Pacheco would build off his performance between Weeks 6-8, where he had at least 50 rushing yards in three straight games and averaged 4.3 yards per carry.
However, since returning from his knee injury, the veteran running back has only recorded 46 yards on 12 carries (3.8 yards per carry), along with two receptions (two targets) for 17 yards in the Chiefs’ last two games. For the season, Pacheco is shockingly ranked third in rushing (375) behind Mahomes (407) and Hunt (545).
If this is the end for Pacheco in Kansas City, you can’t be mad at it. For a seventh-round pick, he’s exceeded all expectations and played an integral part in helping Kansas City get to and win Super Bowls.
Now, do you wish his health were better? Yes, without a doubt, because your best ability is your availability.
But for this Chiefs’ offense to take that next step in 2026, they must find a more explosive option in the backfield, whether that’s Brashard Smith, a rookie in the NFL draft, or a free agent like Breece Hall or Rico Dowdle.
Both Hall and Dowdle would be significant upgrades over the former Rutgers RB and give them a legit pass-catching threat out of the backfield, which will only help Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the offense.