Kareem Hunt’s next NFL stop could create a familiar sight in Detroit: a backfield that looks a lot like Kansas City.
Hunt spent Tuesday in Detroit visiting with Dan Campbell and the Lions, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. If that visit turns into a contract, Hunt would reunite with Isiah Pacheco, his primary running mate with the Chiefs over the last two seasons.
That possibility adds another layer to a career that has already taken plenty of twists. Hunt entered the league as a third-round pick in the same draft that brought Patrick Mahomes to Kansas City at No. 10 overall. The Chiefs’ offense, with Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce in the mix, changed the way defenses had to line up while Hunt powered the ground game during his early years.
His time in Kansas City ended abruptly after an assault and altercation involving Hunt was captured on video, and he later lied to the team about it. The Chiefs released him, and the Browns signed him, bringing him closer to his hometown of Willoughby, Ohio.
Hunt spent the next five years in Cleveland, working behind Nick Chubb and others while the Chiefs kept rolling toward dynasty status.
Then came a return to Kansas City in 2024, when Pacheco’s fibula injury opened the door. Hunt answered with a big season, leading the team in rushing with 200 carries for 728 yards and 8 touchdowns. He followed that in 2025 with 163 carries for 611 yards and 7 scores.
He’s no longer the explosive runner he was earlier in his career, but Hunt has carved out a role as a powerful short-yardage back. Behind an offensive line featuring Pro Bowlers Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith, along with Kingsley Suamataia at left guard, the Chiefs leaned on Hunt to grind out tough yards and keep drives alive.
If Detroit makes a move, Hunt could land in a backfield built around Jahmyr Gibbs, with Pacheco potentially back beside him. For Campbell’s offense, that kind of bruising addition could give the Lions another tool for 2026.
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