Isiah Pacheco

Isiah O. Pacheco (born March 2, 1999), also known as "Pop", is an American football running back for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and was drafted by the Chiefs in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft. In his first two seasons with the Chiefs, he won Super Bowl LVII and Super Bowl LVIII, scoring a touchdown in the former.

Early years
Pacheco was born in Vineland, New Jersey to Felicia Cannon and Julio Pacheco. He is the youngest of five siblings, and of Puerto Rican descent on his father’s side. He played Pop Warner Football for the Vineland Blitz in Cumberland County, New Jersey, and attended Vineland High School, where he played both quarterback and running back. His senior year he led the Fighting Clan with a dominating performance to win the Thanksgiving Day Classic against the rival Millville Senior High School.

College career
Pacheco was heavily recruited by Syracuse, Maryland, Rutgers, Virginia Tech, and other football programs along the East Coast. He committed to Rutgers University on June 21, 2017.

Pacheco saw consistent playing time in each of his four collegiate seasons, rushing 563 times for 2,442 yards (4.3 ypc) and scoring 18 touchdowns. He also caught 47 passes for 249 yards and one score.

Professional career
Pacheco was selected in the seventh round with the 251st overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs.

In his NFL debut in week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals, Pacheco scored his first career NFL rushing touchdown on a 3-yard run. He recorded his first career start in the Chiefs week 7 game against the San Francisco 49ers. In a Week 11 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, Pacheco rushed for a career-high 107 yards on 15 carries.

Pacheco is the all-time leading season scrimmage yards leader for a rookie running back drafted in the seventh round. He finished the regular season with 830 rushing yards and 130 receiving yards (a total of 960 scrimmage yards), alongside five touchdowns on the ground. He returned 29 kickoffs for 597 yards. In his first professional season, Pacheco was the starting running back for the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII. In the Super Bowl, Pacheco had 76 yards and a touchdown as the Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38–35. Following the season, Pacheco underwent surgeries to repair a torn labrum and broken hand, which he stated he had played through during the Super Bowl. In Week 4 of the 2023 season against the Jets, Pacheco had 158 scrimmage yards and a rushing touchdown in the victory. In Week 12 against the Raiders, he had two rushing touchdowns in the victory. In Week 17 against the Bengals, he had 130 rushing yards and a receiving touchdown in the victory. Pacheco appeared in 14 games and started 13 in the 2023 season. He finished with 205 carries for 935 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns to go with 44 receptions for 244 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns. In each of the first three playoff games for the Chiefs, he scored a rushing touchdown. Pacheco's second NFL season ended with the Chiefs winning Super Bowl LVIII against the San Francisco 49ers 25–22 with Pacheco rushing for 59 yards and recording six catches for 33 yards. The Chiefs became the first team to repeat as champions since the New England Patriots did it in 2003 and 2004. Pacheco made history in 2024 being the only Running Back in NFL History to win 2 Super Bowls in his first two seasons.

Personal life
Pacheco has overcome tragedy as his brother Travoise Cannon was killed in January 2016 and his sister Celeste Cannon was murdered in September 2017. He has tattoos of his sister and brother in a mural on his right arm alongside other tattoos representing essential parts of his roots, including one representing New Jersey, Vineland High School and Rutgers University.