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The Detroit Lions are not going to see running back Isiah Pacheco take the field until much later in the season, if at all.
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Initially dealing with an MCL sprain since training camp, Pacheco was placed on injured reserve on September 1 with a back injury. Placing a player on IR means that they are ineligible to play for at least four weeks, but Pacheco’s back injury has proven to be far more serious.
On Monday, Lions head coach Dan Campbell told reporters that Pacheco underwent back surgery and would miss “a significant amount of time”. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network later provided more details; Pacheco needed the surgery to remove a body pinching a nerve in his back. The 27-year-old will be out for at least 12 weeks, thus marking a potential return for early December at the earliest.
#Lions RB Isiah Pacheco had surgery to remove a body that was pressing on a nerve in his back, source said. It’s a 12 week recovery with a chance he’s back by early in December.
Originally, Pacheco had an MCL injury, then hurt his back while training. pic.twitter.com/lrGvyGyb8v
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 14, 2026
The Lions are certainly fortunate to have one of the best running backs in the game in Jahmyr Gibbs as their bellcow. However, Detroit’s offense at its best featured a combined workload between Gibbs and a fellow back. His previous rushing partner was David Montgomery, but he was traded to the Houston Texans on March 11.
With Montgomery gone, the Lions were going to rely on Pacheco to help compliment Gibbs. But this long-term injury to Pacheco will significantly increase Gibbs’ already heavy workload. He did prove to be up to the task in Week 1, as Gibbs totaled 186 yards from scrimmage and scored two touchdowns in the Lions’ overtime win over the New Orleans Saints.
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REPORT: Lions RB Isiah Pacheco will miss “a significant amount of time” after undergoing back surgery, per Dan Campbell. pic.twitter.com/UCmUN7jTpP
— 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔇𝔢𝔱𝔯𝔬𝔦𝔱 𝔗𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 📰 (@the_det_times) September 14, 2026
Pacheco helped the Kansas City Chiefs win back-to-back Super Bowls in his first two seasons, but he was limited to seven games in 2024 with a broken fibula and didn’t contribute much last season. In 2025, the New Jersey native rushed for 462 yards on 118 carries, caught 19 passes for 101 yards, and scored two touchdowns (one rushing and one receiving).
Leaving the Chiefs in free agency during the offseason, Pacheco signed a one-year, $1.81 million contract with the Lions on March 12, the day after the Montgomery trade.
On the Lions’ depth chart, they have Sione Vaki and Jacob Saylors behind Gibbs at running back. Vaki saw limited action on Sunday against the Saints, with just 18 scrimmage yards on two carries and a reception.
While Gibbs enjoyed a strong season opener, relying on him alone is unsustainable. Expect the Lions to actively search for a backup running back in either free agency or the trade market, especially given the success they previously saw with the Gibbs-Montgomery tandem.
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This story was originally published September 14, 2026 at 3:33 PM.