Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy has faced criticism throughout the season but has emerged with some amazing performances from several players, including running back Isiah Pacheco. During his Thursday press conference, he spoke with reporters about the impact Pacheco has made on the team this season.
“When you look at what ‘Pops’ (Isiah Pacheco) does, I mean, he’s, first of all, the football player, and he’s only going to continue to get better and better. He’s learning himself,” said Nagy. “Sometimes, even patience through the hole, when to hit it with speed, when to be patient, let it develop the tempo of that he’s going to continue to grow. But the one thing he does is go 100 miles per hour 100% of the time.”
Assuming he sits out the final game of the regular season, Pacheco finished his sophomore campaign with 935 rushing yards to lead the team. His intensity and angry runs have become a trademark of his playing, endearing him to his teammates, coaches, and fans.
“We feed off of that he’s a young kid, that’s a great personality, that all he wants to do is win, ” Nagy explained. “Every team usually has one or two guys on the team that’s over the top with the excitement and in a good way, and He’s our guy with that—so having a young guy like that, that brings the juice not just in on game day, but in practice after meetings. He’s always positive, and I just appreciate that about him.”
Nagy’s offense fed off of Pacheco’s fantastic performance last Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. The effort is why the Chiefs are AFC West champions for the eighth consecutive season.
