Forgiven by Patrick Mahomes, Kareem Hunt Doesn’t Mince Words on Emotional Return to Chiefs

Kareem Hunt thought his time in Kansas City was over the moment the Chiefs cut him in 2018. A rushing title as a rookie didn’t matter anymore. A video did. Six years later, he’s back in the locker room he never expected to see again and playing a real role in it.

And, he his taking this “second chance” seriously. Hunt suited up Friday despite a quad bruise and finished with three carries for 15 yards in the Chiefs’ 29-27 preseason loss to Chicago. He also had one target that went incomplete. Hunt mixed in with the starters behind Isiah Pacheco, who remains the lead back.

“When you get a second chance, you just want to make the most of the opportunity,” Kareem Hunt said bluntly on ESPN’s The Kingdom. “Because I never thought I’d be back in Kansas City.” The Chiefs had cut ties after a video reportedly showing him kicking a woman he had just pushed to the ground surfaced in 2018. No arrests or charges were made, but the damage was done. And Hunt’s NFL future seemed uncertain.

He laid it on the line about his emotional rollercoaster: being “so upset about the whole situation. I wish I could go back in time and handle it a lotta bit different.” It wasn’t just about the personal fallout – his reputation took a serious hit right in the middle of what should have been the prime of his career. To the point that he was “afraid of how everybody looked at me” in the aftermath. He admitted he didn’t even leave the house for a while. “You can’t erase history,” he said. “When it’s all said and done, it’s done. You can’t go back in time.” 

Fast forward to September 2024, when an injury to Chiefs star Isiah Pacheco opened the door for Hunt’s improbable return. Starting on the practice squad, he climbed up the ranks and ended the season as a regular starter. He even played in Super Bowl LIX – a heartbreaking loss to the Eagles. Hunt didn’t just return; he led the Chiefs in rushing with 728 yards and seven touchdowns in 2024. At 30, he signed a one-year deal worth up to $2.5 million in March, proving the man who once seemed toast is very much back in the game.

Why Mahomes forgave Kareem Hunt

Patrick Mahomes, the face of the Chiefs franchise, didn’t shy away from Hunt’s controversial past. “What he did was wrong, but I know in his heart he isn’t a bad person,” Mahomes stated on The Kingdom. Mahomes’ words weren’t just polite nods; they were a clear sign that forgiveness was at the core of the Chiefs’ mindset. “It’s how you can become better and learn from them. I think that’s something that he embraced. He wasn’t going to let that one bad decision define who he is as a person.”

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid also threw full support behind Hunt’s redemption arc. Reid acknowledged Kareem Hunt’s mistakes but emphasized growth. “He learned a lesson,” Reid said. “Too many people don’t get a second chance…He knew he did wrong. You can’t do that. Somebody’s gotta teach you that you can’t do that. He paid for that.” Reid’s take cut through the noise with blunt wisdom – Hunt hit a brick wall but chose to start over the right way.

That forgiveness from the locker room’s leadership made Hunt’s emotional return possible. From the Cleveland Browns to Kansas City, through suspensions and rehab, Hunt’s NFL journey is carved by both mistakes and resilience. Mahomes and Reid’s open arms gave him a shot to rewrite his narrative, and Hunt took that shot. His candid reflections, combined with their faith, made the return not just about football but about redemption and just raw truth.