Chiefs bring depth and versatility in the running back room to 2025 season

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KMIZ)

When you look at the Kansas City Chiefs' offense, names like Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Xavier Worthy, Rashee Rice and a few others tend to jump off the page. However, KC fans may want to take a look at what head coach Andy Reid has in the backfield in 2025.

The Chiefs will enter a new season with quite a bit of depth and versatility at the running back position. The team returned Isaih Pacheco, Kareem Hunt and Carson Steele for another season, but also brought Elijah Mitchell over from the 49ers, while drafting former SMU standout Brashard Smith and signing Western Kentucky alum Elijah Young to an undrafted free agent deal.

"We got guys that you can't depend on, as far as saying that they're only doing one thing," Pacheco said. "You can't just say that about us. You got guys that's playing all different roles, having fun with it and just competing."

Hunt, who returned to the Kansas City organization in Sept. of 2024, carried the biggest load of all the running backs last season in the wake of a devastating injury to that room. Just two weeks into the season, Pacheco fractured his fibula and battled the injury the rest of the season. While it was a massive blow for the offense, it also opened the door for Hunt to show the Chiefs that he's still got it.

Now, instead of joining the team late, the 29-year-old has had a full offseason of work and will get the enjoy the benefits of working with the offense through training camp in St. Joseph.

"It's gonna help me a lot, you know, tremendously," he said. "To be able to get a full offseason and be out here on these hot boy summer days and just able to work with the team and eat healthy and stuff like that, it's a big advantage."

You can watch the full press conference with Hunt in the video player below.

Even without getting in work at a training camp last offseason, Hunt still impressed on the field in Kansas City. In 2024, he ended up with 728 yards on 200 carries, as many around the country have dubbed him as the best short-yardage back in the league.

"I take pride in whatever I do. You know, that's one of those things that those are big time plays. People don't understand how hard it is to get those two, three yards and, you know, punch it in. Those keep the drives alive and get us more opportunities to make big plays, so that's one of those things that I take pride in. It's a mindset thing," he said.

Through the first three days of training camp, Pacheco and Hunt have been splitting up the reps with the first-team offense, as the Chiefs may take a by-committee approach to the offensive backfield in 2025.

Despite inevitable competition in that room, Hunt said it's a group that knows how to have fun together.

"We're just always clowning around, having fun and just joking around," Hunt said. "Then, when it's time to play ball we take it very serious."

Kansas City's success in the run game will hinge on a new-look offensive line coming in time together for the upcoming season. The Chiefs returned two solidified starters in Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith, but much of the rest of the line is an open competition.

The battle for starting spots is particularly hot at both left tackle and left guard.

With tackles Jawaan Taylor and Wanya Morris opening up training camp on the PUP list, fans have gotten to see more glimpses from some offseason additions: Josh Simmons and Jaylon Moore. Simmons was the Chiefs' first-round draft pick in 2025, coming to KC fresh off of a national championship win with Ohio State. Meanwhile, Moore was a major offseason grab for general manager Brett Veach, coming to KC by way of the San Francisco 49ers.

Both guys have gotten in work with the first-team offense, but Simmons has been a major attention grabber through the first few days of training camp.

"Obviously, [he's] extremely talented. You can see it on the field. He moves really well, very athletic and very strong. I mean, his first punch is insane. You know, he's got a ton of stuff that a lot of people just don't naturally have, so with him it's been awesome to see that stuff. He's been working it really well, but another thing with him is that he has that drive," Humphrey said. "It's been really good to see him working, doing extra stuff after practices, focusing in the meeting rooms, taking what he can studying on his own, it's been really good to see."

You can watch the full press conference with Humphrey in the video player below.

Humphrey acknowledged that challenges of playing with two new tackles alongside him through training camp, as well.

"I think just getting the chemistry down with the offensive line," he said. "That's why camp is really good for this. You know, you get a ton of reps in, ton of looks against [Steve Spagnuolo's] defense, so it's preparing you all for the season."

It'll be a season that Kansas City, even if they won't admit it in a press conference setting, will hope is one of redemption, after last year's 18-point Super Bowl loss to the Eagles.

That loss took guys quite a while to get over in the offseason. Linebacker Leo Chenal said he spent a lot of his time off walking around his house, upset. However, the second he entered the facility and got to work, he knew it was time to turn the page.

"I don't like feeling that. Obviously, we're gonna work regardless of how we feel, but we're gonna use that feeling and know, like, okay we can get where we want to be, but we also have to understand what it feels like to come that close, but lose like that," Chenal said.

You can watch the full press conference with Chenal in the video player below.

The Chiefs will continue training camp with one more practice on Friday, before the players will get a day off on Saturday. Coach Reid said that once guys return for that Sunday practice, he does expect them all to be wearing pads for the first time this camp.

"It's been great to be out here, get these days in. We've had three really good days of work, where we got ones against ones, twos against twos, threes against threes, so there's some competition there," Reid said. "It's ramp up period. We've got another day or two of this and then we start right in with pads."

You can watch the full press conference with Reid in the video player below.