Hunt was selected in the third round of the same draft as Mahomes in 2017

 

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) celebrates a touchdown by running back Kareem Hunt (27)AP

 

The Kansas City Chiefs have kicked off their season just as expected for the reigning back-to-back champions, with two thrilling finishes against AFC contenders. In the first game, they defeated the Baltimore Ravens 27-20 in the season opener, and in the second, they edged out Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals 26-25 with a last-second field goal, following a controversial but, in my opinion, clear pass interference on Rashee Rice. Rice, who broke the record for most receptions by a rookie in a single postseason last year (26), has become Patrick Mahomes’ go-to target so far this season.

Mahomes on Kareem Hunt’s Return

Mahomes will be relied upon even more now, as Isaiah Pacheco is out for six to eight weeks after fracturing his right fibula against the Bengals. With Clyde Edwards-Helaire also injured, the Chiefs will have Samaje Perine and rookie Carson Steele as their running backs. However, neither is expected to match Pacheco’s production, which is why the Chiefs signed Kareem Hunt to the practice squad. Mahomes commented, “I gave him a high five and a hug when I saw him, because it’s a person I used to spend a lot of time with a long time ago.”

His additional comment, “but at the end of the day, man, I just root for the person to keep becoming a better and better person, and the football is secondary,” referred to Hunt’s legal troubles after TMZ Sports released a video of him shoving or kicking a woman in a Cleveland hotel hallway on Feb. 10, 2018, leading to the Chiefs releasing him. Head coach Andy Reid may give Hunt, once a third-round pick by Kansas City in 2017, two weeks to reacclimate with his new teammates.

Before his legal troubles, Hunt led the NFL in rushing during his rookie season in 2017, with 1,327 yards, while Mahomes was still on the bench behind Alex Smith. In just 27 games with the Chiefs, Hunt amassed 2,984 total yards and 25 touchdowns. He made a memorable debut, recording 246 total yards from scrimmage (148 rushing, 98 receiving)-the most ever in an NFL debut. He joined the likes of Marshall Faulk and Billy Sims as the only players since 1970 to debut with over 150 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns. If Hunt can replicate even half of that production in his second debut, it could be enough to secure a win.

After leaving the Chiefs, Hunt spent five seasons in Cleveland, where he accumulated 3,342 total yards and 32 touchdowns over 64 games. Most of his time with the Browns, he played as the backup to Nick Chubb. We’ll soon see how he performs upon returning to the Chiefs’ explosive offense, with their next game being a Sunday Night Football matchup against the Atlanta Falcons in Georgia. In addition to Pacheco’s injury, the season-long injury to Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown leaves the Chiefs with little in the way of the arsenal they had started the season and much is expected of Mahomes.