KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs are heading into unfamiliar territory without running back Isiah Pacheco, who sustained a leg injury late in Sunday’s game that will likely land him on injured reserve. He’s been their leading rusher in each of the past two seasons and was on pace through two games to have the first 1,000-yard season of his career.
Pacheco was handed or thrown the ball 24 times in Sunday’s 26-25 win over the Cincinnati Bengals before he left with the injury.
Coach Andy Reid likes to think the Chiefs have another back who in his absence is capable of handling such a large workload. But he acknowledged that between his two choices, undrafted rookie Carson Steele and recently acquired veteran Samaje Perine, he doesn’t know for sure.
“I would tell you I have confidence in them,” Reid said. “I just haven’t experienced it with them.”
Reid said the Chiefs planned to go with the backs they currently have, but added that general manager Brett Veach “is going through his lists and looking at people and we’ll just see where that goes, but we’re blessed to have some good people here.”
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, the Chiefs’ first-round draft pick in 2020 and their leading rusher that season, is on their injured reserve list and not eligible to be activated until Week 5 against the New Orleans Saints.
The Chiefs also have two backs, Keaontay Ingram and Emani Bailey, on their practice squad. Ingram rushed 62 times for 134 yards and caught eight passes in 20 games the past two seasons for the Arizona Cardinals. Bailey, like Steele, is an undrafted rookie.
Despite his inexperience, Steele is the most logical choice to take the biggest share of Pacheco’s role. He has nine carries for 27 yards this season.
“He’s going to have to step it up there and in that role, but I think he likes to be challenged and I think this will be a good challenge for him,” Reid said.
Steele lost a fumble late in the first half Sunday, leading to a Bengals field goal. But he also served as an effective short-yardage runner for the Chiefs, something they’ve lacked in recent seasons.
The Chiefs gave the ball to Steele four times Sunday when they needed one or two yards for a first down. He got the necessary yardage every time, including twice on fourth down.
He came to the Chiefs as an unlikely candidate to make the team, given that they already had Pacheco and Edwards-Helaire, but he impressed right away.
“His assignments in OTAs were pretty crisp,” offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said. “He knew what he was doing [and] he knew where he was going. You never know how he’s going to do until you put the pads on.
“He took it to training camp and put the pads on [and] made some nice plays. A splash play here or there definitely helps, but it has to be consistent over periods of plays and series of drives. I thought he did that.”
Perine, 29, is in his eighth NFL season and with his fifth team. The Chiefs signed him this year after his release from the Denver Broncos.
“It just feels like another place where I can hopefully contribute,” Perine said.
Perine had more than 25 touches in a game twice in his career. He had 27 touches in 2017 when he was with Washington and again in 2022 when he was with Cincinnati in a game against the Chiefs.
But he’s done most of his better work in recent seasons as a pass receiver. Last season with the Broncos, Perine had almost as many pass receptions (50) as rushing attempts (53).
“Perine has always been a real good protection guy, a third down back as well as a first or second [down] back,” Reid said, “but somebody you feel real comfortable in there playing on third down with all the crazy blitzes that take place.”
The Chiefs visit the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3 for “Sunday Night Football” (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC).
