KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- After leaving Arrowhead Stadium on crutches and wearing a boot, tests on Monday confirmed Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco suffered a fractured fibula, according to a report from NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport.
Pacheco left Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals during the game-winning drive inside of two minutes on a short run where three Bengals surrounded him, hitting him high and low, bending his right lower leg backwards.
The Kansas City running back played a key role in the close win, rushing 19 times for 90 yards and catching five passes for 21 yards before leaving the game.
Coach Andy Reid spoke about Pacheco's injury with reporters on Monday.
"As far as Pacheco goes, we’ll go with the guys that we have here. Now, Veach is going through his list and looking at people, and we’ll see where that goes. We’re blessed to have some good people here," he said.
"I don’t have the timeframe on Pacheco. I know it won’t be this week, and it will probably be more than that, obviously it’s going to take a little bit of time."
While the recovery timeline is currently unknown, the injury all but assures the Chiefs will place Pacheco on injured reserve, just days after the team had to do the same with wide receiver Hollywood Brown. Players placed on injured reserve miss a minimum of four weeks.
The injury makes Samaje Perine the presumptive starter pending any movement for a free agent. Rookie Carson Steele is behind Perine on the depth chart, Clyde Edwards-Helaire is currently on the reserve/non-football illness list, and can't return until Week 5 at the earliest.
The 2-0 Chiefs have a pair of road games up next, first against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday Night Football, followed by an AFC West matchup in Los Angeles against the Chargers on September 29.
