It seemed like the status quo thing to do. Nursing a 21-point lead over the Washington Commanders with just under five minutes left in the 4th quarter, all that was left for the Kansas City Chiefs to do was purge the game clock and head to the locker room with another win.
With so little time remaining, one might think the Chiefs would have cleared their bench, but Andy Reid and his staff kept starters Patrick Mahomes, Xavier Worthy, Travis Kelce, and Rashee Rice (among others) on the field to wrap up the game. A simple handoff to Isiah Pacheco on first down garnered one yard. Another handoff to Pacheco appeared to pick up a first down, but suddenly Chiefs Kingdom held its breath as he lay on the ground at the 44-yard line.
The fourth-year starter at running back, who had been enjoying one of his most productive games of 2025, violently punched the ground before giving his signature “pop” to his feet. Only this time, he didn’t sprint to the huddle.
As Pacheco hobbled to the sideline, the replay confirmed a right leg injury. Washington defender Jeremy Reaves went high as Trey Amos went low, directly into Pacheco’s planted leg. One couldn’t help but look at the game clock, the score, and the fact that the Chiefs’ best running back was potentially facing a serious injury and wonder: Why are all the starters out there, anyway?
Isiah Pacheco's injury puts some real pressure on the Chiefs before the NFL's trade deadline.
It wasn’t long after that the Chiefs did indeed begin to pepper in their offensive reserves, but on Tuesday morning, it was confirmed:
#Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco, who left Monday night’s win with a knee injury, is considered week-to-week with an MCL sprain, per sources. pic.twitter.com/VGLRaJQl54
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 28, 2025
The Chiefs’ high-octane passing offense has returned to full strength, but even before the Pacheco injury, trade talks swirled around the running back room. Now, without their 26-year-old starter, the Chiefs are five days away from squaring off in a crucial AFC matchup in Buffalo and will have to revamp their offensive approach with a running back room that now consists of just Kareem Hunt, Elijah Mitchell, and rookie Brashard Smith on the active roster.
Hunt and Smith have each proven useful in their own unique way. Hunt has completely thrived in a short-yardage role, and Smith has been productive as a receiver out of the backfield. But neither has shown the ability to be the type of player that a Super Bowl contender can lean into—and neither had Pacheco, to be honest.
That is why rumors have swirled around Kansas City for weeks, and the injury to Pacheco puts serious pressure on the question at hand: Will the Chiefs pull the trigger on a trade for a running back?
Recent history suggests that general manager Brett Veach is willing enough to pursue a player in order to bolster the roster. Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins solidified a bare cupboard in 2024. Edge rusher Melvin Ingram filled an important role in 2021. But even if the Chiefs do pursue a deal, one has to wonder if it will be for a running back. There are other needs, given the recent season-ending injury to rookie defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott. Depth at defensive end has also been a mild concern since training camp.
One major benefit of a trade would be the relieved pressure for one of the Chiefs’ captains. A running back would provide major help to Mahomes and the Chiefs’ passing game. A defensive tackle would allow the Chiefs to keep Jones from another season in which he is on the field for over 80% of the team’s defensive snaps (he is currently at 81%).
But if the Chiefs are looking for a serious splash at the deadline, there’s no other move that would increase the overall potential of this team like a bona fide running back can. Without Pacheco in the lineup, that means Mahomes is now the leading rusher on the roster. The 30-year-old signal caller averages 65 rushes per season over his career; through eight games in 2025, Mahomes is on pace for 98 carries. That simply cannot continue.
I am throwing zero shade when I say this: Defensive coordinators don’t gameplan around Isiah Pacheco. But the Chiefs are even more one-dimensional without him. In order to mitigate the loss of Pacheco, Kansas City can either lean even more heavily into Mahomes’ right arm and scrambling ability, or they can make a move that will help their quarterback by demanding the attention of opposing defenses. From 30,000 feet, it seems prudent to insulate your star quarterback by surrounding him with players who will help shoulder the load in the ground game while also forcing coordinators to respect other positions.
The trick play that flipped the game 🪄🏈
Breece Hall threw a touchdown pass to Mason Taylor to give the Jets the lead after a gutsy analytics-driven call. They won, 39-38 pic.twitter.com/2RVbDHn730
— Gabriel Schray (@schrayguy) October 26, 2025
Jets running back Breece Hall certainly upped his purchase price last Sunday with a splendid performance against the Bengals, hitting paydirt twice and even throwing a late touchdown pass that sealed the Jets’ first win. The Saints’ Alvin Kamara appeared to be a candidate, but he has publicly expressed that he doesn’t want to play anywhere else (which is weird). There are other lesser deals that Veach could pursue, but would they move the needle? Tennessee might part with Tony Pollard or Tyjae Spears before the deadline. The Falcons’ Tyler Allgeier or the Rams’ Blake Corum could be available, for a price. The Dolphins have a nice stable of running backs and could probably stand to part with one, but which?
Another concern is the market for a trade. It doesn’t help the Chiefs that several teams could also be looking for a running back. The Chargers are without starter Omarion Hampton for several weeks, and had already lost reserve Najee Harris for the season. The Giants’ Cam Skattebo was also lost for the year last Sunday when he suffered a gruesome leg injury. The Texans are quickly losing hope on ever getting Joe Mixon back in 2025. Bucky Irving, Chuba Hubbard, Quinshon Judkins, and D’Andre Swift have all been dinged up these past few weeks. So the Chiefs are going to have to pony up if they decide to make a move by the NFL's trade deadline of November 4.