After four seasons serving as the lead back for the Kansas City Chiefs, Isiah Pacheco has found a new home. The Detroit Lions have have reportedly signed Pacheco on the second day of the legal tampering period before free agency begins officlally on Wednesday.
The writing was on the wall for Pacheco when the Chiefs decided to sign the reigning Super Bowl MVP, Kenneth Walker III, to a massive three-year deal as part of a complete overhaul of the backfield.
Few picks in recent Chiefs draft history have delivered more return on investment than Pacheco, who was the 251st overall selection of the 2022 NFL Draft. The Rutgers product was essentially an afterthought, the second of three seventh-round picks, and was hoping to compete for a spot behind Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Ronald Jones. Instead, he somehow turned into a lead back for a franchise that won back-to-back championships.
The Detroit Lions have given Pacheco a place to land after the Chiefs began a massive overhaul of their backfield.
Pacheco's first two seasons were a revelation. He rushed for 830 yards and 5 touchdowns as a rookie, then followed it up with 935 yards and 7 rushing touchdowns in 2023. During the title run in 2024, Pacheco scored in each of Kansas City's first three playoff games and had 313 rushing yards in the postseason.
Then came the injuries. A fractured fibula in Week 2 of 2024 essentially robbed Pacheoc of his third season. The 2025 campaign was something he called "a revenge tour," only to be similarly derailed by a knee injury that limited him to eight starts. He still managed 462 rushing yards and 1 touchdown on the year, but the Chiefs' backfield was arguably the NFL's least dynamic and part of the team's overall offensive woes.
Now at 26, Pacheco brings an encouraging history with Super Bowl rings to show for it while also facing injury concerns about his effectiveness. The Lions will love Pacheco's violent running style, and Dan Campbell feels like an ideal fit as a new head coach.