Isiah Pacheco, the running back of the Kansas City Chiefs, talks about the upcoming NFL game in Germany and about personal strokes of fate.

Is he the new Marshawn Lynch?

Isiah Pacheco of the Kansas City Chiefs is often compared in the American media to the legendary former Seattle Seahawks running back. Pacheco is aware of the parallels.

“Yes, he was someone who ran hard, too,” he said in a media roundtable,

Lynch was nicknamed “Beastmode” because of his aggressive style of play and ability to break opposing tackles.

Pacheco, who at 6-foot-7 is two inches shorter than Lynch, favors a similar style of play – and looks a bit like him, too.

“People bring such comparisons because I remind them of him with my tough style of play and I also have similar long hair,” he knows.

Draft steal: 2022 seventh-round pick

Pacheco was a true draft steal for the Chiefs. In the 2022 NFL Draft, he wasn’t picked until the seventh round at position 251 by Kansas City. Behind big-name counterparts Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Jerick McKinnon, Pacheco started the season as the No. 3 running back but played his way into the starting lineup within weeks.

In his first season, he ran for 830 yards as well as five touchdowns, and also caught 13 passes for another 130 yards.

His personal highlight: He contributed 76 rushing yards and a touchdown in the Super Bowl win against the Philadelphia Eagles. This season, he ran for 459 yards and three touchdowns in eight season games. Most recently, however, the Chiefs conceded a surprising 24-9 loss at the Denver Broncos. Pacheco was not a big factor in that game with 40 rushing yards.

The upcoming game on Sunday in Frankfurt against the Miami Dolphins should be used to get back on track. This will not be easy! Just like the Chiefs, the Dolphins have a record of six wins and two losses. “This is a great team we’re up against. We have to play well together and be fully focused on our task,” Pacheco said.

Strokes of fate have shaped him: “That’s why I play so hard “

Pacheco is a person who, at the age of 24, has already had to deal with several strokes of fate. His brother Travoise Cannon was stabbed to death in January 2016 at the age of 29. His sister Celeste Cannon passed away in September 2017 when she was shot and killed at the age of 24.

When asked if his tragic family history motivated him, he replied, “Yes, absolutely. I train to get harder every day. I look for ways to get even better every day.”

Pacheco is a friendly person, but not a particularly talkative one. He usually gives short answers. Only after asking several times did he get into the flow of talking, describing his arduous path to NFL stardom.

“I’ve been through tragedies in my life. That’s why I play so hard. I played football in New Jersey since I was eight years old. When I came to Kansas City, I was away from home for the first time in my life.”

He appreciates the opportunities life as an NFL player has afforded him. “I’m blessed to be a part of the Kansas City Chiefs every day and now to travel the world with them as well.” He is looking forward to playing in an NFL International Game for the first time on Sunday. “It’s the first time for me to travel to Germany. It’s an exciting, big trip.”

And what exactly is he expecting in Frankfurt? Pacheco has a definite idea: “A lot of Chiefs fans and a lot of cheering. “