Despite the Kansas City Chiefs‘ 3-0 start to the 2024 NFL season, Andy Reid isn’t resting on his laurels. The head coach knows his team has plenty of room for improvement, which is why Reid made a long-awaited move to give Patrick Mahomes another weapon this week.
On Tuesday, the Chiefs elevated veteran running back Kareem Hunt from the practice squad to the 53-man roster, waiving RB Keaontay Ingram. Speaking to reporters about this decision, Reid explained he was impressed by the 29-year-old, requesting Mahomes and the rest of the offense to try and get Hunt involved on Sunday.
“I thought he had a good week of practice last week,” Reid said, via Sports Illustrated. “He took the majority of the scout team reps, and it looks like he’s in pretty good shape. Now, the next step is just getting him in the game. He’ll rotate in and we’ll see how he does.”
The Chiefs will hit the road to play division rivals Chargers in Los Angeles in Week 4 of the 2024 NFL season. This could be Hunt’s first game in his second tenure with the team, having spent the first two years of his career in Kansas City.
Kareem Hunt #27 of the Kansas City Chiefs carries the ball during the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Arrowhead Stadium on November 11, 2018 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Selected in the same draft class as Mahomes in 2017, Hunt was cut by the Chiefs in November 2018 after a controversial video of him assaulting a woman surfaced. He played for the Cleveland Browns from 2019 to 2023, and now hopes to embrace a second chance with the first NFL team that trusted in him.
see also
NFL News: Andy Reid confirms major decision on Chiefs" lineup to protect Patrick Mahomes
Reid hoping Hunt can contribute to Mahomes in Chiefs’ offense
A free agent after a five-year stint in Cleveland, Hunt’s opportunity to return to Kansas City came when Isiah Pacheco fractured his fibula against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2.
With their primary running back on injured reserve, the Chiefs decided it was the right moment to give Hunt another chance, a move that was strongly defended by Reid and Mahomes. The other running backs on the Chiefs’ active roster are rookie Carson Steele and seasoned RB Samaje Perine.
see also
NFL News: Andy Reid keeps very firm stance about Travis Kelce"s slow start with Chiefs
Steele saw an increased workload in the Chiefs’ first game without Pacheco, recording 17 carries for 72 yards on the Sunday night win over the Atlanta Falcons. Perine trailed him with six carries for 25 yards, whereas Mahomes also ran six times with the ball but for a gain of 17 yards.
Now, Reid hopes Hunt can get in the mix and produce interesting numbers as well: “I feel like his retention was pretty good and this week will help, too, just going through it. He’s got a pretty good feel on what we’re doing.”
