Kareem Hunt has made a return to the Kansas City Chiefs after a journey that saw him rise to stardom and face controversy during his time with the Cleveland Browns. Originally drafted by the Chiefs in 2017, Hunt exploded onto the scene with a phenomenal rookie season. He led the NFL in rushing yards with 1,327 on 272 carries, adding eight rushing touchdowns and 455 receiving yards with three more scores through the air. His versatility as both a runner and a receiver quickly made him a key offensive weapon for Kansas City.
However, Hunt’s time with the Chiefs came to an abrupt end in 2018 after a video surfaced showing an altercation between him and a woman. The Chiefs released him after the incident and Hunt was later suspended for eight games by the NFL.
After serving his suspension, Hunt signed with the Cleveland Browns in 2019, where he formed a dynamic backfield tandem and friendship with Nick Chubb. Over his four seasons with the Browns, Hunt tallied 1,874 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns, while adding 973 receiving yards and seven receiving scores. His contributions in Cleveland extended beyond the stat sheet, as he was an essential part of their offense, particularly in short-yardage and passing situations, he was also a tremendous teammate who always brought a positive energy to the sideline.
Despite his value and connection to the city, the Browns decided to let Hunt walk, opting instead to rely on younger backs Jerome Ford and veteran D’Onta Foreman to handle the workload while Chubb recovered from injury. The decision was partly financial, as Cleveland believed they had enough depth without Hunt, despite his ability to excel in both rushing and passing situations. However, the Browns have struggled so far this season with consistent production in the running game, especially in short-yardage plays. Without Hunt’s ability to convert tough downs, Cleveland’s offense has lacked explosiveness and sustainability and Chubb’s injury has only heightened the issues.
Hunt’s signing with Kansas City adds an intriguing twist to the Browns’ season, as Cleveland will face the Chiefs in Week 15. If both Chubb and Hunt are healthy, fans could see the former teammates go head-to-head in what promises to be a critical game for playoff positioning. While the Browns bank on Ford and Foreman to step up, the decision to let Hunt go could keep proving costly as they struggle to regain consistency in their ground attack. For Kansas City, Hunt’s return bolsters their offense and provides depth as Pacheco hits the IR and they gear up for another Super Bowl run.
WATCH KAREEM HUNT BROWNS HIGHLIGHTS CLICK HERE!!!
The post There And Back Again – A Kareem Hunt Tale appeared first on Cleveland Sports Talk.