Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco’s return to the field after such a long injury layoff was good for the soul.

With Pacheco playing five games as he builds up his game fitness, against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 29-10 win, the running back only mustered 18 rushing yards from six carries.

That would be his lowest return for the season, and head coach Andy Reid revealed that his running back was dealing with a rib injury.

“Pacheco would be the only one, he dinged his ribs there so we’ll see how bad they are,” Reid said. “On the positive side of that, he played good football [vs. Steelers] along with Kareem [Hunt] and [Samaje] Perine just keeps making plays for us.”

Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco.

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

There is a positive note here. With the Chiefs clinching the No. 1 seed in the AFC, should they choose to do so, they can rest a host of starters in Week 18 against the Denver Broncos with one now certain to be Pacheco.

It means that there will be a 25-day gap between Pacheco playing against the Steelers and then suiting up for Kansas City’s first playoff game.

Is that ample time to recover from a rib injury? Possibly, but as we know, these types of injuries have a tendency to linger.

But ample rest will give Pacheco the best chance at being fully fit come playoff time and if Kansas City is to make a deep playoff run and have a shot at history, then it will need Pacheco as part of the running back rotation.