Kareem Hunt says he’s ‘very happy’ for Chiefs after Super Bowl win
By Matt Conner
Kareem Hunt told reporters he’s happy for the Chiefs and their Super Bowl win.
It took some time for Kareem Hunt to get over the sting of not being with the team that drafted him. It was, of course, the running back’s own fault that he was dismissed from the Kansas City Chiefs late in the 2018 season after lying to them (multiple times) about an offseason assault. Hunt, now a member of the Cleveland Browns, has owned his behavior but that doesn’t remove the hurt of watching them move on.
These days, however, Hunt says he’s not only still grateful to the Browns for giving him this chance but for sticking with him this long. In fact, he told reporters on Monday that he was amenable to a potential long-term contract if the team was interested. Meanwhile, when asked about his former Chiefs teammates, he had nothing but love and respect for them.
Browns RB Kareem Hunt says he's moved on from his time with the Chiefs, but says: "I love those guys. I've got brothers on that team... I'm very happy for them. They're champs. They deserved it."
— Ben Axelrod (@BenAxelrod) June 22, 2020
Hunt’s career has been a roller coaster of sorts since he first arrived in K.C. as the team’s third round pick of the 2017 NFL Draft—the same one that brought Patrick Mahomes to the team via a first-round trade. Hunt should have sat behind Spencer Ware during his rookie year, but a late preseason injury allowed Hunt to earn lead back reps from his first days on the active roster and he rewarded the Chiefs instantly with a stellar effort against the New England Patriots that included nearly 250 yards from scrimmage.
From there, Hunt would go on to enjoy a thrilling rookie season in Kansas City. He led the entire league in rushing—only the sixth rookie to do so—with 1,327 yards and had 8 touchdowns on the ground with a 4.9 yards/carry average. He added another 455 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns via the passing game. The following year, Hunt was again among NFL leaders in rushing yards with 846 through 11 starts when a video surfaced of Hunt pushing and kicking a woman in an assault about which he’d lied to the team.
The Cleveland Browns scooped up Hunt after some time and have featured him next to starter Nick Chubb for each of the last two seasons. Clearly Hunt likes it there if he’s ready for an extension despite having to split carries. Perhaps it’s because he believes the Browns have the talent to win it all.
#Browns RB Kareem Hunt: "I think we can do something special here. I want to get that Super Bowl feeling, and I believe we can do it here in my hometown and that would be bigger than anything to me. To bring a championship to Cleveland. I've been with Cleveland my whole life."
— Keith Britton (@KeithBritton86) June 22, 2020
Hunt, who is 24 years old, had 43 carries for 179 yards and 2 touchdowns last season for Cleveland.
Next. The top 10 player achievements in Chiefs history. dark