EXCLUSIVE Chiefs RB Jerick McKinnon shares impact he's had on rookie Isiah Pacheco
The Kansas City Chiefs backfield has been split by rookie back Isiah Pacheco and nine-year veteran Jerick McKinnon.
The rookie out of Rutgers is the leading rusher in yards (677) and attempts (131) and is tied for most rushing touchdowns with three. Backup running back Jerick McKinnon has the fourth-most rushing yards but has 300 more than any other running back on the team.
trib.al/9vSckPGJerick McKinnon has found the end zone five times in the Chiefs’ last three games.
That’s one reason he is @Michael_Fabiano’s Week 16 RB Start of the Week 🔽 trib.al/9vSckPG
As a veteran leader in the backfield room, McKinnon tried to make Pacheco's learning process easier by teaching him things he's learned through experience.
McKinnon also believes Pacheco is a key part of the team and could be a really good back in the NFL. McKinnon spoke with Sportskeeda in an exclusive interview and raved about the rookie.
He said:
"My thing with him all season is just whatever I've been through in my career or things that I might have had a tough time with when I was a younger guy, I just pass these things along to him. So you know when that time does come for him, it's an easy surpass. He don't gotta go through the same things or the same struggles that I went through."
"I mean you've seen in the last so many weeks how important he is to the offense. When he gets the ball in his hands it’s just gonna get real physical."
Jerick McKinnon says the Chargers are the hardest team the Chiefs have faced this season
While the Chiefs are 11-3 and one of the best teams in the NFL, they have had some very close nail-biters.
The Houston Texans forced them into overtime last week, while the Denver Broncos almost came back from a 27-7 deficit the week before.
They also beat the Los Angeles Chargers in both of their meetings but only by three points each time. The Chargers were the toughest team the Chiefs have faced this season, according to McKinnon.
He said:
"The Texans game was tough. The week before vs. the Broncos was another tough game. But I'm not gonna lie, every time we play the Chargers, that game goes down to the wire. I might have to give it to the Chargers."
McKinnon was then asked where the toughest place to play in the entire NFL is, to which he gave an unbiased answer and said Arrowhead Stadium:
"And then the toughest place of course is Arrowhead speaks for itself. We got the best fans in the world. They make their away games feel like home games and they make the home games unbearable for away opponents."
Arrowhead holds the Guinness World Record for the loudest open outdoor air stadium. It hit a record of 142.2 decibels during a 2014 game with only 76,416 fans.
Kansas City will close out the 2022 regular season facing the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, and Las Vegas Raiders.
If you use any of the above quotes, please credit Jerick McKinnon and H/T Sportskeeda