According to a report from Jordan Schultz, the Kansas City Chiefs have decided to bring running back Kareem Hunt back for another season.
Schultz reported that Hunt’s one-year contract could earn him up to $2.5 million in 2025.
Taken by the Chiefs in the third round (86th overall) in 2017’s NFL Draft, the former Toledo back led the NFL with 1,327 rushing yards — along with 455 receiving yards — as a rookie. But after 11 games of the 2018 season — during which Hunt had maintained a similar pace — Kansas City abruptly released him when it learned he had been less than truthful with them about an offseason incident in his hometown of Cleveland.
After five seasons with the Cleveland Browns, Hunt was out of the game at the age of 29 — until the Chiefs’ starting running back Isiah Pacheco was injured in 2024’s second game.
At the urging of his agent, Hunt texted head coach Andy Reid.
“I shot [Reid] a text, and I just was telling him like, ‘I’ve been grinding, man. You know I’m hungry, and you know I want to come help y’all,” he later recounted. “So, if y’all got a spot for me, I’ll come put in the work.’ He said he’d get back to me — and he ended up getting back to me like one hour later. Two hours later, he told me to get ready for a flight.”
In his first start back in Kansas City, Hunt ran for 102 yards and a touchdown. Over the season, he accumulated 904 yards from scrimmage (and seven touchdowns) over 13 games — including eight starts — demonstrating he could still earn the tough yards when they were needed.
And now he’s earned a chance for another season with his original team.