Isiah Pacheco: Kansas City Chief’s RB’s college, draft pick, heritage, nickname, height and weight
The second-year running back has been sensational for the Kansas City Chiefs and looks to keep going as they head to the AFC championship game.
From the various tragedies that he has had to overcome off of the field, to his seemingly instantaneous success on it, the Kansas City Chiefs’ running back is something to behold. Join us for a closer look at who he is and what he’s done.
Getting to know Isiah Pacheco
Born in Vineland, New Jersey on March 2nd, 1999, Isiah Pacheco is the youngest of five children that Felicia Cannon and Julio Pacheco had. He is of Puerto Rican descent on his father’s side. While attending Vineland High School it was clear that Pacheco was a talent in the making as he played both quarterback and running back, before leading the ‘Fighting Clan’ to victory over their rivals, the Millville Senior High School Thunderbolts in the ‘Thanksgiving Classic.’ With college awaiting, Pacheco was heavily recruited by several programs including Syracuse, Maryland, Rutgers, and Virginia Tech. Ultimately he committed to Rutgers and it was a decision that proved to be fruitful. In each of the four seasons that he played for the Scarlet Knights, he saw plenty of minutes as he rushed 563 times for 2,442 and 18 touchdowns. He also managed to catch 47 passes for a total of 249 yards and one touchdown.
The Chiefs came calling
Following a highly successful college career, Pacheco was selected in the seventh round with the 251st overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs and it didn’t take long for him to give the team a return on investment. In his Week 1 debut he scored his first NFL rushing touchdown on a 3-yard run against the Arizona Cardinals. In Week 7 he would get his first start in a game against the San Francisco 49ers and in Week 11 he would register a career-high of 107 yards on 15 carries against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Incredibly, things only got better from there as he established himself as the all-time leading season scrimmage yard leader for a rookie running back drafted in the seventh round. He would go on to end the season with 830 rushing yards, 130 receiving yards, and five touchdowns on the ground. In addition, he also returned 29 kickoffs to the tune of 597 yards. Yet, the cherry on top came when he was given the starting job for the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII. In the big game, Pacheco posted 76 yards and a touchdown as the Chiefs downed the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 to become champions. Standing at 5 ft 10 in and weighing 216 lbs, Pacheco is a solid guy but it didn’t stop injuries from taking their toll. During the offseason he was forced to undergo more than one operation in an attempt to repair a torn labrum and broken hand, both of which he stated he had played through during the Super Bowl.
Isiah Pacheco has face extreme hardship off the field
Known to many as “Pop”, probably because of his time playing in Pop Warner Football - a nonprofit organization that provides activities for youth including American football - Isiah Pacheco has had to face a lot of adversity outside of the game that’s made him a household name. In January 2016, his brother Travoise Cannon was killed and in September of 2017, his sister Celeste Cannon was murdered. Today he has tattoos of both on his right arm along with tattoos that reference other parts of his life such as where he grew up and the schools he attended.