Don’t be stunned if this running back approach becomes a trend for KC Chiefs

Coach Andy Reid insisted the Chiefs’ distribution of carries in Sunday’s 17-10 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium was a matter of living in the moment.

But that moment may be extended as the weeks, and games, unfold for his team.

In the first game of his second stint with the Chiefs, running back Kareem Hunt led Kansas City with 14 carries for 69 yards. He added a pair of receptions for 16 yards, too.

Undrafted rookie Carson Steele started the game as the featured back, but he lost a fumble the first time he touched the ball. It was Steele’s second lost fumble in three games.

He got one more rushing attempt and finished with just six yards.

“I was just kind of going with the hot hand,” Reid said. “I’m not down on Carson. He had the fumble. He’ll figure that out. We’re to have three guys in there. We’re in good shape at that position.”

But Hunt played like he has no intention of surrendering his snaps.

From his first rushing attempt — when he gained nine yards — through an 11-yard shovel-pass reception that looked like it came from KC’s 2017 playbook, Hunt appeared to be every bit the player he said he’d be in an interview several days ago.

“Whatever I’m asked to do, I’m going to do it at the highest level,” Hunt said then.

The Chiefs signed Hunt after starter Isiah Pacheco was lost in Week 2 with a broken fibula and placed on injured reserve. They had already added veteran Samaje Perine as a third-down back, and Perine scored his first touchdown in a Chiefs uniform on Sunday against the Chargers.

Signing Hunt meant welcoming back a player the team released during the 2018 season, when a video surfaced showing Hunt kicking and shoving a woman outside his apartment. The Chiefs said then that Hunt had not been truthful to them about the incident, so his time in Kansas City was over.

Six years later, after playing with his hometown Cleveland Browns, Hunt has returned. And at times on Sunday he very much resembled the player who earned offensive rookie of the year with the Chiefs.

Defensive tackle Chris Jones, drafted a year before Hunt, was thrilled for his teammate.

“That’s my dawg!” Jones said. “I’m so glad to have him back on this team. We had some great years. The appreciation he has to be back on this team means a lot. And shout-out to the Chiefs organization, to Clark Hunt and Andy Reid, for giving him a second chance.

“One mistake doesn’t define who you are.”

Hunt averaged 4.7 yards per attempt in his first stint with the Chiefs. On Sunday, it was 4.9 yards.

When the Chiefs had their worst field position of the game, starting a third-quarter drive on their own 3-yard line early in the fourth quarter of a 10-10 game, the ball went to Hunt three straight times.

Behind center Creed Humphrey and guards Joe Thuney and Trey Smith, Hunt went for six, seven and five yards to pull the Chiefs away from their own end zone.

The possession eventually ended with a punt, but the Chiefs had flipped the field position. And that worked in their favor on their next drive — the one that resulted in the go-ahead touchdown.

“He looked good,” Reid said. “He did some good things. Did a nice job for us.”

Look for more in the coming weeks.