The Kansas City Chiefs may finally have Isiah Pacheco back in the building. But they’re not pretending he’s ready to carry the offense yet. Kansas City is treating every step of his return like it could make or break the rest of their season. After weeks of uncertainty and questions around his availability, the team is finally acknowledging some progress. But they’re pumping the brakes hard while they give us a hint about his return.
What RB coach Todd Pinkston said isn’t just another injury update. This is Kansas City protecting one of the emotional engines of their locker room. Pacheco changes the tone of the offense when he’s healthy, and nobody inside the building doubts his value. What they doubt right now is how quickly he can get all the way back.
The Chiefs’ running backs coach, Todd Pinkston, laid out the team’s stance with zero sugar-coating. He said Pacheco “brings that energy to the room and to the field” and that it’s good to have him back with the group again. He also added, It’s good to see him back. We’re just taking these baby steps now. We’ll see what happens tomorrow,” per reporter Charles Goldman. He said they’re taking “baby steps” and won’t know how his body responds until tomorrow and beyond. His wording matched everything coming out of the team this week. The Chiefs are hopeful, but cautious also.
According to reports this week, including ChiefsWire’s latest update, Pacheco continues to recover from his MCL sprain and remains on a gradual ramp-up track. The Chiefs have been careful not to set public timelines, but the tone around the team suggests they are preparing for a slower pace.
A controlled reintegration rather than an immediate full workload. With the Chiefs preparing for Week 12, his availability remains up in the air, and even if he suits up, a limited role is more realistic than a traditional workhorse outing.
The Chiefs can’t afford to lose him again. Their ground game lacks the same punch without Pacheco’s violent style, and the offense as a whole looks different when the run game doesn’t demand respect. But pushing him back too soon could easily set the team back even further. That’s why this careful, methodical return isn’t just injury management. But it’s season management.
Before going down, Pacheco was solid but far from peak form. He logged 78 carries for 329 yards, averaging 4.22 yards per attempt, with one rushing touchdown on the year. As a receiver, he added 11 catches for 43 yards and one receiving touchdown. In his last five games before the injury, he produced 53 carries for 237 yards and two total touchdowns, showing signs of heating up just before the setback.
His 2025 numbers reflect a player fighting through physical limitations. The burst is still there in flashes, but the consistency hasn’t matched what he displayed in 2023 when he nearly hit 1,000 rushing yards. Combined with last year’s fractured fibula, Pacheco has endured two straight seasons of physical disruption, and that’s why the Chiefs are taking no risks with his return now.
The Chiefs know Pacheco is too important to rush. He’s the force that gives their run game life, and they can’t afford another setback. If his body responds well, Kansas City gets its tone setter back for the AFC push. If not, they enter the most important stretch of the season without the spark that balances their offense. His recovery is now one of the biggest factors in how far this team can go.