Kareem Hunt is no stranger to the Kansas City Chiefs. Originally drafted by the organization in 2017, Hunt looked like one of the most promising young running backs in the NFL. After a stellar rookie year, notching over 1,300 yards, he seemed to be the future for the Chiefs.
After being released in 2019 by the Chiefs, Hunt joined the Cleveland Browns in 2019. However, he didn’t quite have the pop that he used to. An excellent partner to star Nick Chubb, the two of them were highly regarded as one of the best backfield duos in the league.
Hunt eventually re-signed with the Chiefs after 5 long seasons in Cleveland. By then, the Chiefs were the powerhouse of the NFL, and had just come back from consecutive Super Bowl wins in 2022 and 2023.
Unlike a lot of players on the Chiefs’ roster, Hunt is yet to hoist the coveted Lombardi Trophy. Although the Chiefs were gunning for a three-peat, they were stopped short by the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX.
After the season, Hunt re-signed for a one-year deal with the Chiefs, bringing him back in 2025. Even though they didn’t make it all the way, Hunt still seems optimistic about their chances next year:
“The culture is just great,” Hunt remarked last week. “It didn’t end the way we wanted it to. But we’ve got a lot of work to do — and I feel like we’ve got another good shot at it. You never want to go to the Super Bowl and lose, but I’m just grateful I got to experience that. I definitely want to get back there and see how it is on the other side.”
After starting running back Isiah Pacheco went down, Hunt was tasked with filling in. In 13 games played, Hunt racked up 7 touchdowns, 200 carries, and 3.6 yards per carry. While he isn’t who he was in 2017, he’s still a valuable asset to the Chiefs’ offense and they are lucky to have him for the upcoming season. Andy Reid will have to figure out how to split touches between Pacheco, Hunt, and newly acquired Elijah Mitchell.