Lions to sign Isiah Pacheco as replacement for David Montgomery

Richard Silva, The Detroit News on Mar 10, 2026

Published in Football

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DETROIT — The Detroit Lions have found a new complement to running back Jahmyr Gibbs.

Former Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco has agreed to terms with the Lions, a source confirmed to The Detroit News on Tuesday. Pacheco will presumably fill the void left by David Montgomery, who the Lions agreed to trade to the Houston Texans earlier this month.

Pacheco, a seventh-round draft pick in 2022, has spent all four of his professional seasons with the Chiefs. He's rushed for 2,537 yards and 14 touchdowns over that stretch, averaging 4.4 yards per carry with a rushing success rate of 53.8%. As a receiver, Pacheco has caught 88 of his 105 career targets for 554 yards and three scores. He helped the Chiefs win the Super Bowl in the 2022 and 2023 campaigns.

Last season, Pacheco, 27, totaled 563 yards from scrimmage and two TDs in 13 appearances. Pacheco missed three consecutive contests due to a knee injury he suffered in a win over the Washington Commanders on Oct. 27. He returned exactly one month later. Pacheco carried the ball fewer than 10 times in four of his last five games, though that had more to do with the Chiefs abandoning the run. For the season, Pacheco averaged 3.9 yards per carry.

Pacheco attended Rutgers before the Chiefs selected him 251st overall. He rushed for 2,442 yards and 18 touchdowns over his four seasons with the Scarlet Knights.

The deal between the Lions and Pacheco cannot be made official until the new league year begins at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.