At 1-2, the Chiefs were already in full-blown crisis mode, with blame being tossed around like confetti. But the biggest culprit? A run game that looked anything but championship-caliber. Then came the Ravens game, and suddenly the ground attack actually had some potential. Thanks in large part to rookie RB Brashard Smith. And you can bet Andy Reid took notice.

Andy Reid understands the RB room’s potential, and he’s taking the first step by increasing Smith’s usage. “Nags is just trying to increase Smith’s reps every week and put him in positions where he can do some things. And he seems to be handling it well,” he said.

And this isn’t much of a surprise. The Chiefs fans were basically calling for this ever since the season started. Heading into the Ravens game, he accounted for three carries for 15 yards and not a single catch across three games. It took him just one half to blow past those numbers. By the end, he had four carries, three receptions, and 36 scrimmage yards to his name. Oh, and he tacked on 55 more yards from two kick returns, including a slick 34-yarder. Not bad for a guy who barely had a line in the box score before Sunday.

And those who kept up with his collegiate career knew what he could become. Back in 2024 at SMU, he was a one-man offense, totaling over 1,300 rushing yards, 14 touchdowns on the ground, and nearly 2,000 all-purpose yards once you tack on his 39 catches for 327 yards. Those numbers made him a first-team All-ACC type. And if that wasn’t enough, he went to the combine and dropped a 4.39 in the 40. No wonder Andy Reid and OC Matt Nagy love him.

And this is the ideal timing. Because the vets in Kansas City haven’t exactly been blowing anyone away. Isiah Pacheco might be listed as the starter, but through four weeks, he’s sitting at 32 carries for 127 yards: a steady 4.0 per clip, nothing more. Kareem Hunt? He’s chipped in since returning on that one-year deal, but he’s not exactly forcing the coaching staff to build the surrounding offense. He didn’t help himself with that penalty, either.

Kareem Hunt gets penalized for questionable celebration

Kareem Hunt finally had himself a moment against the Giants: 34 yards on the ground and his first touchdown of the year. Solid day’s work, right? Except Hunt couldn’t leave it at that. After punching in what looked like the game-winner in the fourth quarter, he decided to break out a throat-slash celebration.

Yeah, probably not the best idea in a league that’s been cracking down on anything remotely “violent.” The flag came out immediately for unsportsmanlike conduct, and the fine followed soon after: $8,172 for one ill-advised gesture in Week 3.

The NFL hasn’t exactly been subtle about its zero-tolerance policy this season, so this one was about as obvious a punishment as it gets. And it’s not like this is Hunt’s first run-in with the fine police. Back in 2018, he got slapped with a $26,700 bill for an illegal hit on Denver’s Justin Simmons.

To be fair, Hunt wasn’t alone on the naughty list. While he stood out as the only player fined for a violent gesture, 19 other players around the league were docked in Week 3. 2,550 total snaps across the week, and nearly 20 guys still managed to hit the fine sheet. Hunt just made his the most memorable… and the most expensive for a celebration that lasted all of two seconds. Andy Reid surely didn’t like that.