Isiah Pacheco felt he should’ve been selected long before the seventh round of this year’s NFL Draft. But when his name was finally called, he was thankful to be a member of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Then, when OTAs and training camp rolled around, Pacheco found himself near the bottom of the depth chart. Pacheco, however, kept working and became the team’s starting running back in Week 7. Now he’s one win away from the Super Bowl as the Chiefs will take on the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC championship game at 5:30 p.m. Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.
“I’ve been waiting on this moment my whole life,” Pacheco said. “So for me, I just have to continue to be myself and go out there and follow the leaders and take it play by play and let the game come to me.”
Pacheco didn’t really do that early in the season. He showed blazing speed and toughness every time he carried the ball but was always in a hurry and didn’t wait for his blockers, which left yards on the field.
But Pacheco said he soon saw the error of his ways thanks to leadership from the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Jerick McKinnon and his offensive line.
“It’s going back to looking at the leaders and learning from them and taking the game from them,” Pacheco said. “So that’s what I’ve been doing and learning from them has helped me overcome the game by playing so fast. And the more playoff games come, it gets faster game by game.
“So for me, to just continue to be patient and learn from my mistakes that we learn from in the game and in the classroom, it’s important for me to take those mistakes and grow from them.”
Pacheco also said Eric Bieniemy, the team’s offensive coordinator and running backs coach, has helped him tremendously during his rookie season.
“He’s a great coach,” Pacheco said. “He’s motivational, and that’s what it’s all about, being in there for us when we need him.”
During the regular season, Pacheco played in all 17 games and rushed for 830 yards on 170 attempts (4.9 avg.) and scored five touchdowns. He also caught 13 passes for 130 yards. Last week against Jacksonville, he rushed 12 times for 95 yards and a touchdown and he might have to do more Sunday because of Mahomes’ high-ankle sprain.
Pacheco has also been the team’s kick returner since Week 1 and said that with the long NFL season, the days of being a “rookie” are long behind him.
“We were rookies at one point but now we’re not rookies,” Pacheco said. “The regular season is over with. So for me, I’m trying to carry that mentality that I’m not a rookie anymore. So I’ll just continue to follow the leaders and do my role and play my part.”
Chiefs coach Andy Reid said his message to Pacheco and the other “rookies” was a simple one.
“Just be you and go play,” Reid said. “Learn the game plan and don’t be anything more or less. Just go play.”
Against the Bengals in the regular season, Pacheco rushed 14 times for 66 yards and a touchdown. The Chiefs lost by a field goal but have won six straight since. And Pacheco believes the best still lies ahead for the Chiefs.
“I’m not satisfied,” Pacheco said. “The job is not over with. There’s more to come.”
MAHOMES TO START
As if there was any doubt, Reid said Friday that Mahomes will indeed start Sunday. Mahomes practiced all this week, and Reid said there have been no limitations.
“He looks good,” Reid said. “He’s moving around good. I think he can go out and play.”
Reid also said there was still a chance that wide receiver Mecole Hardman and tight end Jody Fortson could play as well, though Hardman was officially listed as questionable for the game.
“We’re just going to see how everything goes,” Reid said.
