By Nathan Frandino and Rory Carroll
NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) – Chiefs’ running back Kareem Hunt began the NFL season as a spectator but a call from his old team changed everything and he says he is grateful for his second chance.
Hunt started his career with Kansas City in 2017 when he ran for 1,327 yards but after video surfaced showing Hunt shoving and kicking a woman in a hotel, the Chiefs cut him in 2018.
Authorities did not move forward with criminal charges and Hunt later joined the Cleveland Browns and served a suspension over the incident as well.
The Chiefs signed their former draft pick after Isiah Pacheco was injured early in the season and now Hunt, who watched his former team win three Super Bowls since 2020, is in the title game for the first time, eager to redeem himself.
“I’m grateful to have a second chance,” Hunt told reporters on Tuesday.
“And you know what redemption means to me? I got to make the most of it now, make the most with your opportunity with a second chance.”
Hunt, who was unsigned at the start of the season, said he was training at his high school and working out at the YMCA.
“I was just trying to stay in shape,” he said.
“But I didn’t know if the opportunity was going to come or not. I missed the last training camps the last two, three seasons.
“So when I got that call, I was excited and I told them, you won’t regret it.”
Hunt has been a valuable weapon out of the backfield for Kansas City this season, leading the team in the regular season and the postseason in rushing yards with 728 and 108, respectively.
“He’s a good kid and had a great career at Cleveland,” Chiefs’ head coach Andy Reid said.
“I joked we just pulled him off the couch and threw him in there. I think he had 21 plays the first game, 27 the next game, and we kind of beat him up there without any introduction.
“But he sure handled it well and he’s having a good time. This is his first time at the Super Bowl as a player and that’s one of the neat stories.”
(Editing by Toby Davis)
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