Isiah Pacheco was signed to the Detroit Lions this offseason to serve as the team’s RB2 behind Jahmyr Gibbs and take on some of the workload left by David Montgomery after his move to the Houston Texans.
However, the experiment may be over before it even started, as the former Kansas City Chiefs RB has landed on injured reserve ahead of the regular season.
NFL Fans React as Lions RB Isiah Pacheco Lands on IR
ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefter announced the news on Tuesday: “Lions placed RB Isiah Pacheco on injured reserve due to a back injury that now will sideline him for at least four games.”
The report comes just two days after the Lions finalized their initial 53-man roster and 12 days before their regular-season opener.
The NFL world was quick to react to the news, questioning the Lions’ decision to sign Pacheco and wondering whether the fifth-year running back even has a future in the NFL.
One fan asked: “At what point do we stop calling it bad luck and start asking if Pacheco is just injury-prone? Was signing him really worth it?”
At what point do we stop calling it bad luck and start asking if Pacheco is just injury-prone? Was signing him really worth it?
— 👑 Crown The Board (@CrownTheBoardHQ) September 1, 2026
A second fan wrote: “Bloody Hell dude. Knew he was damaged goods”
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Another fan went as far as to suggest this would be the end for Pacheco. “His career is over,” the user wrote.
“They signed Pacheco to replace Montgomery and he immediately replaced himself with IR. Classic,” a fan wrote.
They signed Pacheco to replace Montgomery and he immediately replaced himself with IR. Classic.
— with love, Eyiyemi 🏴☠️ (@withloveyemiboy) September 1, 2026
“He was a good running back for the Chiefs, but the end of his career might be near unfortunately,” a fan added.
He was a good running back for the Chiefs, but the end of his career might be near unfortunately
— Gridiron Stats and Info (@GridironInfo_) September 1, 2026
Pacheco was brought to Detroit to fill the Montgomery role, but now the Lions will have to look elsewhere for their RB2 production for at least the first four games of the season.
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Behind Gibbs on the Lions’ depth chart sits 2024 fourth-round pick Sione Vaki, 2023 undrafted free agent Jacob Saylors, and 2024 undrafted free agent Jabari Small. Saylors, in particular, showed flashes in training camp and the preseason, but more than likely, the Lions will look to add a veteran free agent to fill the void.
Kareem Hunt reportedly visited the Lions a week ago, on August 25, according to Schefter. No traction has been made on a potential deal, but with Pacheco on IR, signing Hunt to a one-year deal would provide solid depth to the backfield.
This past spring, Pacheco signed a one-year, $1.81 million fully guaranteed deal with the Lions. Although some speculate his career could be over, at just 27 years old and still under contract through the end of the season, there is likely still some football left to be played for the two-time Super Bowl champion.
The situation will be worth monitoring to see if the Lions add another veteran and how long Pacheco will ultimately be on IR.
