Kansas City Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco has undergone some tests to reveal the extent of his ankle injury and the results are not good.

Pacheco exited the Week 2 game against the Bengals in the fourth quarter after he was bent backward on a one-yard carry. His ankle was trapped underneath him in an awkward and painful-looking way. He limped off the field and was tended to by the training staff on the sideline as his teammates put the game away.

NBC Sports’ Mike Florio later reported that the Chiefs were concerned about an injury where the ankle and fibula connect. This likely meant a fracture and significantly more missed time than if it were something like a high ankle sprain. 

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tests confirm a fracture and Pacheco will miss real time. How much time is still yet to be determined, but he’ll likely wind up on injured reserve. He’ll also undergo more tests to confirm whether or not there is accompanying ligament damage.

This is a monumental loss to the offense in Kansas City as they seek out a third consecutive Super Bowl title. Pacheco’s value to the Chiefs’ offense during their back-to-back seasons as Super Bowl champions cannot be understated. The 25-year-old is a former seventh-round draft pick out of Rutgers in the 2022 NFL draft. He has started 25 games over the past two seasons with the Chiefs, recording 390 carries for 1,810 yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. He’s also started in seven playoff games for Kansas City, recording 118 carries for 510 yards and four touchdowns.

The team will rely on rookie RB/FB Carson Steele and RB Samaje Perine to carry the load while Pacheco gets healthy. Steele has shown some promise with nine attempts for 27 yards through two games. Perine is still working up to a larger snap count after joining the team just a few weeks ago.
Expect the team to make an addition to the backfield, with several intriguing free agents and practice squad players available for poaching (see below).