Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco will miss at least six weeks following surgery to repair a fractured fibula, NFL Network and ESPN reported.
Pacheco will have the operation this week. The Chiefs are expected to place him on injured reserve.
Pacheco was injured in Kansas City’s 26-25 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
“I talked to him twice last night, so I think he’s in a better place than he was,” head coach Andy Reid said Monday. “Here’s a guy that loves to play the game. He had tears. He was emotional. But you don’t ever want to lose it. It’s an emotional sport, and that kid, nobody likes to play more than he likes to play.”
Pacheco, 25, is in his third year with the Chiefs. He led the team in rushing in each of the last two seasons. In 14 games last year, he ran for 935 yards and seven touchdowns. He also caught 44 passes for 244 yards and two scores.
So far this season, Pacheco has run for 135 yards on 34 carries.
The next running back on Kansas City’s depth chart is rookie Carson Steele, and he’s backed up by veteran Semaje Perine. Fifth-year running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who played in 14 games last season, is out until at least Week 5 after he started the season on the non-football injury list.
The Chiefs will also bring in running back Kareem Hunt for a visit Tuesday, ESPN reported.
Hunt was drafted by Kansas City in 2017 and appeared in 27 games for the team. He was released in 2018 after he was caught on video pushing and kicking a woman in a Cleveland hotel. He has spent the last five seasons with the Cleveland Browns.
The Chiefs are 2-0 after their win over the Bengals. They will play the Atlanta Falcons on "Sunday Night Football" in Week 3.
