The Kansas City Chiefs will have plenty of decisions to make when the 2026 free agency period opens, including whether to re-sign veteran running back Kareem Hunt. With Patrick Mahomes' recovery casting a showdown over the upcoming campaign, Chiefs fans are wondering if Hunt will stick around or try his luck elsewhere.
It's safe to say that Kansas City's backfield could look a lot different once training camp rolls around. Isiah Pacheco is set to hit free agency and is unlikely to return after a dismal 2025 season saw him average a lowly 35.3 rushing yards per game. This leaves second-year back Brashard Smith as the only currently rostered running back. Smith was rarely on the field and left no reason to believe he is capable of filling an important role.
With this in mind, the deck was already clear to bring Hunt back as a short-yardage weapon and red zone threat, and those reasons are only growing by the day.
Odds of Kareem Hunt Returning to Chiefs Are Slowly Building
Now that Eric Bieniemy is returning as the Chiefs' offensive coordinator, a re-signing seems all the more likely based on the recent history of the former Chicago coach. According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler in March 2025, the Bears were a potential landing spot for Hunt ahead of the 2025 season, before the veteran ultimately chose to return to Kansas City.
Arrowhead Addict's Matt Connor recently touched on this as well, pointing out, "Given that Bieniemy wanted Kareem Hunt to join him in Chicago last spring, it feels safe to assume KC will bring him back for another year unless he's ready to retire."
Letting go of the veteran presence of Hunt would be unexpected, even as the Chiefs search for additional depth and a true starter at the position. With Mahomes coming off an ACL tear, it is more important than ever to have a stable backfield situation. Hunt proved he can help with that situation, rushing for 611 yards and eight touchdowns on 163 carries while adding 18 catches for 143 receiving yards and another score without missing a game this season.
Hunt's role in this is simply a veteran presence, offering leadership that the Chiefs badly need after such a forgettable season. He not only has the trust of Bieniemy but also of head coach Andy Reid, who continually put the ball in Hunt's hands in key situations in the 2025 season.
All signs point to Hunt being brought back as a helping hand in the backfield. He shouldn't be asked to shoulder a similar load as he was this season, so it'd be ideal if the Chiefs found a proper RB1 to give him some help.
Regardless, K.C. fans should expect to see No. 29 back on the roster next season, barring a major surprise.