Chiefs’ Pacheco participates (and is heard) in practice, plus other camp observations
Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco appears to be on track to start the season with the team after all.
A day after Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Pacheco was a candidate to start training camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, Pacheco showed up to the team’s first practice and worked out with the quarterbacks and rookies.
Pacheco, who led the Chiefs in regular-season rushing yards (830) and rushing touchdowns (five) in 2022, was limited over the summer following offseason shoulder surgery. He participated through much of Wednesday’s practice with a yellow non-contact jersey.
“During OTAs (organized team activities), I know that he wanted to be out there a lot,” Chiefs rookie receiver Rashee Rice said of Pacheco. “So him just running down that hill and being ready — even to just do the warmup — he’s moving as fast as he can just in the warmup. We could just tell he’s excited to be on the field right now.”
Camp observations
• Quarterback Patrick Mahomes had the day’s top highlight, rolling to his right during 7-on-7s and tossing a deep pass off his back foot to rookie receiver Nikko Remigio, who high-pointed the catch in the back of the end zone.
• That highlight — and others — brought out a vocal Pacheco on the sidelines. Though he didn’t compete in 7-on-7s, Pacheco loudly screamed his satisfaction after the offense scored touchdowns, with his encouragement echoing across the practice fields.
It was so boisterous that Reid appeared to have a light-hearted discussion with Pacheco after practice, perhaps to settle him down just a bit.
• Chiefs seventh-round cornerback Nic Jones knocked away a pass from Rice on the opening play of 7-on-7s.
• Rice battled the heat and humidity more than any other Chiefs player on a day when the heat index was in the upper-80s. Rice went to the sideline for a break following his first rep of 7-on-7s, then in a later session, backed off the line of scrimmage before throwing up on the field three times.
This story was originally published July 19, 2023 at 2:03 PM with the headline "Chiefs’ Pacheco participates (and is heard) in practice, plus other camp observations."
