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Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid.

The Kansas City Chiefs were criticized for their lack of urgency at the trade deadline, particularly when it came to the running back position, and Week 12 news of a historically bad NFL trend hammered home that point.

“The 2025 Chiefs currently have an explosive rush rate on RB carries of 2.6%,” ESPN data analyst Benjamin Solak reported on November 17.

Solak added that this figure “would be the lowest number for an offense this century if it holds.” Continuing: “Just an unacceptable lack of investment in the running game in Kansas City. Scheme and personnel [in my opinion].”

Chiefs Have Passed on Multiple Chances to Upgrade the Running Back Room

It’s not like Chiefs general manager Brett Veach and head coach Andy Reid were backed into a corner at the running back position. If we remember back, prior to the 2025 NFL free agency, it was the exact opposite situation.

Kansas City was only really committed to one running back heading into the 2025 offseason, and that was Isiah Pacheco — on a rookie contract. Besides Pacheco, practice squad reserve Carson Steele was also in the mix, and the rest was a blank slate.

Following a lackluster finish from the RB room in 2024, the Chiefs had multiple opportunities to reshape this position as they wanted. The first came in free agency, but rather than spend real money at running back, Veach simply re-signed an aging Kareem Hunt and added a total injury returnee flyer in Elijah Mitchell.

Hunt has served his purpose, but is also a big part of the explosiveness problem, and Mitchell has been a total flop with the Chiefs.

Next up was the 2025 NFL Draft, which was actually stacked with young RB talent. Most analysts and pundits predicted KC would spend a mid-round pick on the position, bringing in fresh blood to potentially replace Pacheco long-term.

But Veach didn’t do that either, passing on all the top prospects for seventh-round wide receiver convert Brashard Smith.

To be clear, Smith has shown some pop and was a fine seventh-round pick, but he’s not an every-down runner and likely never will be. The Chiefs should have selected a more physical running back earlier in the draft, and they still could have taken Smith late — that’s how dire the RB need was.

Strike three came at the trade deadline. Kansas City reportedly had a fourth-round offer on the table for New York Jets running back Breece Hall, but balked on the deal when the Jets insisted on a third-round return.

Hall is clearly superior to the current Chiefs RBs in just about every way, leading to fan backlash after the deadline.

Chiefs Must Draft or Sign a Running Back in 2026

Enough is enough at the running back position. Hitting repeat with Pacheco and Hunt has not worked, and the Chiefs would be wise to move on from both in 2026 once their contracts expire.

Hunt is on a cheap one-year deal and could theoretically come back in a depth role, but Pacheco will be looking to get paid, and Kansas City should let him walk. Similarly, KC should move on from backups like Mitchell and returnee Clyde Edwards-Helaire.

From there, the Chiefs must either dedicate cap space (in free agency) or draft capital to solving this perennial issue.

Neither Pacheco nor Hunt should be a key cog in the Chiefs’ 2026 offense. If they are, the disconnect between the front office and fans will only grow.

Michael Obermuller covers the NFL for Heavy Sports, where he began writing in 2021. His areas of focus include the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pittsburgh Steelers, with expert knowledge on each based on years of coverage. Michael is an NYC area native and Quinnipiac graduate. More about Michael Obermuller

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