Kareem Hunt's return to the Kansas City Chiefs was never supposed to happen. It felt like a fever dream or a desperate "Hail Mary" from a front office that had nowhere else to turn after Isiah Pacheco’s fibula snapped in early 2024. Most fans remembered the 2018 video, the sudden release, and the years of "what ifs" that followed.
Honestly, it worked. For a while.
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But as we sit here in January 2026, the sentiment in Kansas City has shifted from nostalgia to the cold, hard reality of the NFL business cycle. The Chiefs' rushing attack ranked 25th in the league this past season. That's a brutal number for a team with Patrick Mahomes. While Hunt was the most reliable thing in that backfield during 2025, his 3.8 yards per carry told a story of a veteran running on fumes.
The 2024 Resurrection
When the Chiefs signed Hunt off his couch in September 2024, the expectations were basement-level low. He was 29. He had looked slow in Cleveland. Yet, he stepped in and immediately looked like he’d never left Andy Reid’s system.
He didn't have the 2017 burst. We all knew that. But he had the vision. In his second game back against the Saints, he gritted out 102 yards on 27 carries. It wasn't flashy; it was a 216-pound man slamming into a brick wall until the wall gave up. He finished that 2024 regular season with 728 yards and seven scores, basically saving the Chiefs' season while Pacheco rehabbed.
The playoffs were even better.
In the Divisional Round against the Texans, Hunt was the closer. He carried the ball six times for 39 yards in the fourth quarter alone, scoring a touchdown and sealing a 23-14 win. Watching him hurdle defenders and lower his shoulder, it felt like 2017 all over again. He wanted that ring more than anyone. Even though Super Bowl LIX ended in a 40-22 loss to the Eagles—a game where Hunt was largely held in check—he had done enough to earn a new contract.
The 2025 Reality Check
Kansas City brought him back on a one-year, $1.5 million deal for the 2025 season. It made sense at the time. Pacheco was back, and Hunt was the perfect "break glass in case of emergency" backup.
The emergency happened, just not the way people expected. Pacheco struggled to regain his pre-injury explosiveness, and the rookie Brashard Smith didn't look ready for the bright lights. Suddenly, the 30-year-old Hunt was the lead dog again.
He had his moments.
- Week 12 vs. Colts: Hunt carried the ball a career-high 30 times for 104 yards. He was the AFC Offensive Player of the Week.
- The Goal Line Leaps: He notched eight rushing touchdowns in 2025, many of them coming on those "Air Kareem" dives over the pile.
- Third Down Reliability: He caught 18 passes, often serving as the only safety valve Mahomes could trust when the pocket collapsed.
But the efficiency just wasn't there. You can’t win consistently in this league when your lead back is averaging 3.75 yards per carry. The Chiefs' offense felt stagnant. Teams stopped respecting the deep ball because they knew they could handle the run with six-man boxes. According to SumerSports, Hunt’s success rate remained decent (47.85%), but his "explosive play" percentage bottomed out at 3%.
He was a chain-mover, not a game-changer.
What Really Happened in the Finale?
The end of the 2025 season was a bit of a mess. Hunt missed practice time leading up to the Week 18 game against the Raiders with an illness. He eventually played, but he looked gassed. Five carries for 14 yards.
That 14-12 loss to Las Vegas felt like the end of an era. The Chiefs missed the playoffs for the first time in the Mahomes era, and the fingers are pointing everywhere. Is it the offensive line? Is it the lack of a true WR1? Or is it a backfield that has simply aged out?
Why the Chiefs Are Moving On
The rumor mill is already spinning. With both Hunt and Pacheco hitting unrestricted free agency this March, Brett Veach is expected to be aggressive. Reports from insiders like Matt Johnson suggest the Chiefs are looking at younger, faster options like Travis Etienne or even a high draft pick.
Hunt is 30. In running back years, that’s 90.
He proved he still belongs in the NFL, but maybe not as a starter for a team trying to rebuild a championship window. He’s a short-yardage specialist now. A locker room leader. A guy who knows where to be on a screen pass.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Offseason
- For the Chiefs: They need to find a back with home-run speed. The "grind it out" style of 2025 failed them. Expect a significant investment in the position during the draft or early free agency.
- For Kareem Hunt: He likely hits the market as a veteran mentor. A team like the Cowboys or Bills—teams that need a reliable goal-line presence—could offer him a one-year veteran minimum deal.
- The Legacy: Hunt’s second stint in KC successfully washed away some of the bitterness of his 2018 exit. He was a professional, a teammate, and a productive player. He didn't get his ring in KC, but he proved he could come home.
The Chiefs' backfield is about to look very different. The era of the "physical committee" is likely over, and the search for the next truly explosive playmaker is officially on.