ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Isiah Pacheco revealed Thursday that he broke his hand in the AFC Championship Game.
That didn’t stop him from racking up a game-high 76 yards, including a 1-yard touchdown, during the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl LVII victory less than six months ago.
“It wasn't bothering me,” Pacheco said. “We had two weeks to recover. ... I was good with the recovery that we did with the staff and I was able to play. They got me right.”
Pacheco, who won the Mack Lee Hill Award as the Chiefs’ top rookie last season after rushing for 830 yards with five touchdowns, reported early to training camp at Missouri Western to work with the team’s training staff after surgery to repair his hand and a torn labrum, which he dealt with throughout his rookie season in 2022.
“I’m feeling great right now,” Pacheco said. “It’s a process that takes time and for me to just continue to listen to the staff.”
Pacheco said the shoulder injury “wasn’t a big problem” last season and his recovery shouldn’t impact his availability to start the season.
He participated in running-back drills the first two practices at camp, but he sat out seven-on-seven and other team periods.
Asked if he’d be ready for Week 1 on Thursday, Sept. 7, against Detroit at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Pacheco said, “Absolutely.”
He also vowed to stay in shape, so he’s ready to hit the ground running when he’s cleared for full activity.
After all, Pacheco has big goals for his second NFL season.
“It’s the details, detailing my notes more,” Pacheco said. “It's finding little things to get better at. For me, I want to run for 1,000 yards, so that's the goal obviously. But it starts here today, practice day by day.”
Drafted in the seventh round before last season from Rutgers, Pacheco’s rookie year was a dream season capped by a championship.
“My favorite part of the offseason was the ring ceremony,” Pacheco said, “reuniting with the guys that we played all season with to get that and achieve it. Seeing those guys again then in the White House when we were reunited, for me it just felt like a team.”
Now, he’s eager to be fully healthy again and have a chance to get even better.
“It’s the work,” Pacheco said when asked what he misses about training camp so far. “This is where you get the most out of it. Ain’t nothing better than camp, where you’re with your guys and pushing each other day in day out to get better.”
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