Kareem Hunt excited to ‘write the rest of his story’ with Chiefs

On a uneven day for the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ offense of their 23-14 Divisional Spherical playoff win over the Houston Texans on Saturday, the workforce’s first landing lastly got here with simply over 4 minutes remaining within the first half. The best way that landing was scored as soon as appeared unthinkable.

Working again Kareem Hunt — the workforce’s third-round choice within the 2017 NFL Draft — punched within the one-yard landing. Saturday marked Hunt’s first playoff motion as a Chief since January 6, 2018. Lower than a yr after that Divisional Spherical loss to the Tennessee Titans, an off-field incident noticed him launched simply as Kansas Metropolis was morphing into the NFL’s juggernaut.

Talking after the sport, Hunt left little doubt of the feelings the sport introduced.

“The emotions definitely are high,” he confirmed. “I feel blessed. It feels like a dream come true again, and I feel like I left I left a lot unsolved before. So, now I’m excited to be able to write the rest of the story.”

The Chiefs put Hunt able to jot down the remainder of his story with sparing use and relaxation down the stretch of the common season. The veteran is aware of the time without work has benefited his physique.

“I felt fresh, definitely,” he said. “Not taking as many hits and being able to practice, move around, [and] get my conditioning felt great.”

Hunt’s landing was the primary time both workforce discovered the tip zone, and the Chiefs largely felt accountable for the sport afterward. Hunt credited the trouble upfront, each from the offensive line and tight finish Travis Kelce.

“Honestly, it was blocked pretty well,” he noticed. “A little jab step — [I] just followed Travis through the little crease and had to run through an arm tackle. Great blocking.”

Hunt completed the day with eight carries for 44 yards and the landing. Most of his work (six carries for 39 yards) truly got here within the fourth quarter. He described how a lot of his day was spent because the Chiefs seemingly waited to make use of him as a more in-depth within the remaining body.

“I stayed by the heater and just kept my mind in the game,” Hunt recalled, “waiting for that opportunity to get my number called and just be ready to go out there and make the most of each opportunity.”

Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Photos

One alternative he made essentially the most of got here on the fourth quarter’s first snap. The Chiefs confronted fourth-and-1 on the Houston 37-yard line. Hunt burst by means of for a three-yard achieve to maneuver the chains. 5 performs later, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Kelce would mix for a spotlight reel landing to place Houston firmly on the ropes.

“I saw a good D-line rush and one-on-one in the hole,” Hunt stated of the fourth-down rush, “and I’ve got to find a way to get it a yard or two — and I like my odds every time.”

After the sport, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid praised Hunt’s efforts and the operating again room he shares with Isiah Pacheco and Samaje Perine.

“[Hunt’s] been great for us,” remarked the coach. “He’s really helped, and he ran hard today. When we needed him right down the stretch there, we just handed it to him — and that’s not taking anything away from Pacheco because he’s doing a nice job, too. To have both of them plus Perine going in on third downs and doing what he does, it’s a nice thing to have from a coaching standpoint.”

After watching the Chiefs play in six AFC Championship video games throughout his exile, Hunt now will get his probability to be one recreation from advancing to the Tremendous Bowl. Now in his eighth season, he’s prepared for me second.

“It means everything,” he declared. “I’m going to make the most of the opportunity, and that’s what I do every time I touch the ball. I try to make the most of it and find a way to put the team in a situation to be successful.”