An unfortunate series of injuries haven’t stopped Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs from winning their first eight games of the 2024 NFL season. With key weapons out, other players have stepped up to carry the offense. One of them is Kareem Hunt.
Five years after his controversial exit from the Chiefs, the 29-year-old is enjoying a triumphant return to Kansas City as the team’s primary running back during Isiah Pacheco’s absence. And while Hunt’s current form makes Mahomes extremely happy, the quarterback also warned the rest of the NFL that the Chiefs’ running game will get even scarier when Pacheco returns.
“I’m happy for him to bounce back and come back here and then have this great start to the middle of the season here,” Mahomes said of Hunt’s performance after the Chiefs’ 30-24 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on ‘Monday Night Football’ before issuing his strong warning. “Whenever we get Isiah (Pacheco) back, it’s going to be a tough tandem for guys to tackle.”
Hunt played a key role in the Chiefs’ eighth win of the 2024 NFL season with 27 carries for 106 yards and the game-winning touchdown in overtime. In addition, he caught a pass from Mahomes for 11 yards.
Kareem Hunt #29 of the Kansas City Chiefs reacts after a run against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the third quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on November 04, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri.
“It’s been fun,” Mahomes said about his teammate, who spent five years in Cleveland before coming back to Kansas City. “It’s been fun to watch, man. I mean, he’s come in the building – since he’s been here – and he’s just got after it every single day. He works his tail off, he prepares himself for the moment and then whenever we get down there in like [the] fourth quarter and the end of games, he’s going to make those runs. Five to six yards, seven yards, whatever it is and he’s going to finish. When you play that hard the entire game, it wears on the defense. I think guys are proud of the way he’s playing and the way he’s gone about his business this year.”
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Andy Reid’s change of plans benefited Hunt, Mahomes
While Hunt ended up posting fantastic numbers on Monday, the truth is the night didnt’ start well for him. In the first half, he only gained 16 yards in seven carries. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid‘s change of plans for the second half saw Hunt take off with 20 carries for 90 yards, including the overtime TD.
“I didn’t call enough runs in the first half,” Reid explained to reporters after the game. “I told the offensive line that I was going to bank on them, and we need to get this thing started and get a little bit more balance in there in our attack.”
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Mahomes shows complete trust in Hunt
Reid appeared to heap more praise on the Chiefs’ offensive line, but still gave Hunt his deserved flowers. At the end of the day, it is crystal clear that he’s quickly become a reliable weapon for Mahomes.
“He wants the football,” Mahomes said. “I think that’s the biggest thing, is as the game goes on it’s like he starts feeling it and he starts going. There are certain situations where I might have throws on the outside and I’m like, ‘Man, I’m going to give this guy the football and let him go,’ because when he’s running, even though [it’s] six-yard [or] five-yard carries, they take a toll on the defense.“
