Kareem Hunt Bio
Kareem AJ Hunt (born August 6, 1995) is an American professional football running back for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Toledo Rockets and was selected by the Chiefs in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Hunt also spent time with the Cleveland Browns before returning to Kansas City.
Standing 5 ft 11 in and listed at around 216 lb, Hunt has built his reputation on contact balance, receiving ability out of the backfield, and short-yardage finishing. He earned PFWA NFL Rookie of the Year honors in 2017 after leading the league in rushing yards during his first professional season.
Early Life and Background
Kareem AJ Hunt was born on August 8, 1995, in Elyria, Ohio. He grew up in the Cleveland area and attended South High School in nearby Willoughby, Ohio, where he played for the South Rebels football team.
Hunt emerged as one of the most productive running backs in Ohio high school football. As a junior, he rushed for 2,519 yards and 39 touchdowns, then followed that with 2,685 rushing yards and 44 touchdowns as a senior. He was rated as a three-star recruit by Rivals.com and committed to the University of Toledo to continue his football career.
Path to American Football
After his high school career, Hunt joined the Toledo Rockets in 2013 and quickly developed into a workhorse back. As a freshman he played in 12 games with three starts, rushing for 866 yards and six touchdowns. He showed consistent production across the next several seasons, missing time as a sophomore and junior due to injury and a team-rules suspension, but still setting program records.
By the time he left Toledo, Hunt held the Rockets career rushing record with 4,945 yards, breaking Chester Taylor’s previous mark, and ranked third in Mid-American Conference history. He earned first-team All-MAC honors in 2014 and 2016 and a second-team selection in 2015, helping him position himself as a third-round selection in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Kareem Hunt Career
Early Career (2017)
Hunt was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs with the 86th overall pick in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft, the sixth running back chosen that year. After a preseason knee injury to starter Spencer Ware, Hunt was named the Chiefs’ starting running back in late August 2017.
He made his NFL debut on September 7, 2017, against the New England Patriots, finishing with 246 total scrimmage yards (148 rushing, 98 receiving) and three touchdowns in a 42-27 road victory, the most scrimmage yards ever recorded in an NFL debut at the time.
Kansas City Chiefs First Stint (2017-2018)
Hunt’s rookie season was one of the most productive in Chiefs history. He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Month for September after leading the league with 401 rushing yards and 8.53 yards per carry. By season’s end, he led the NFL with 1,327 rushing yards, becoming the second consecutive rookie to capture the rushing title after Ezekiel Elliott in 2016.
He added 1,327 rushing yards and earned a Pro Bowl nod, a PFWA All-Rookie Team selection, and the PFWA NFL Rookie of the Year award. The Chiefs finished 10-6 atop the AFC West before falling 22-21 to the Tennessee Titans in the Wild Card Round. Hunt remained the lead back in 2018, posting multiple multi-touchdown games and a 100-yard performance against Denver, but his tenure in Kansas City ended on November 30, 2018, when he was released after a video surfaced of him pushing and kicking a woman in a hotel.
Cleveland Browns Era (2019-2023)
Hunt signed with the Cleveland Browns on February 11, 2019, and was suspended without pay for the first eight games of the 2019 season for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. He was reinstated on November 4 and made his Browns debut in Week 10 against the Buffalo Bills, finishing 2019 with 43 carries for 179 yards and two rushing touchdowns along with 37 receptions for 285 yards and a receiving score in eight games.
The Browns signed Hunt to a two-year, $13.25 million contract extension in September 2020. He responded with 198 carries for 841 yards and six rushing touchdowns to go with 38 receptions for 304 yards and five receiving scores, then added two rushing touchdowns in a 48-37 Wild Card win at Pittsburgh. He served primarily as a backup to Nick Chubb in 2021 and 2022, missing time with a calf injury in 2021 before requesting a trade in 2022. In 2023, Hunt signed a one-year, $4 million contract in September and scored nine rushing touchdowns, including a score in the Wild Card loss to the Houston Texans.
Kansas City Chiefs Second Stint (2024-Present)
After a Week 2 injury to Isiah Pacheco in 2024, Hunt visited Kansas City and signed to the Chiefs’ practice squad on September 17, 2024, before being promoted to the active roster a week later. He rushed 27 times for 102 yards and a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints, his first 100-yard rushing game in four years, and finished 2024 with 200 carries for 728 yards and seven touchdowns. Hunt scored rushing touchdowns in both the Divisional Round win over the Texans and the AFC Championship victory over the Bills before being limited to 14 scrimmage yards in Super Bowl LIX, a 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Hunt re-signed with Kansas City on a one-year deal on March 17, 2025. In Week 12, he posted 104 rushing yards and a touchdown on a career-high 30 carries in a 23-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts, earning AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.
Notable Events and Milestones
Hunt’s signature early moment was his 246-yard, three-touchdown NFL debut against New England in 2017, joining Marshall Faulk and Billy Sims as the only players since 1970 to debut with over 150 scrimmage yards and three scores. He also led the NFL in rushing as a rookie, was named PFWA Rookie of the Year, and was selected to the Pro Bowl, one of the most decorated rookie seasons in Chiefs history.
Kareem Hunt Career Wins
While running backs are not typically measured in career wins, Hunt has been part of multiple postseason runs. He contributed to a 2017 AFC West title, a 2020 Wild Card upset of the Steelers, a 2024 Divisional Round win over the Texans, an AFC Championship win over the Bills, and a Week 12, 2025 victory over the Colts in which he set a career high in carries.
Kareem Hunt Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Publicly verified information about Kareem AJ Hunt’s parents and immediate family members is limited. He grew up in Elyria, Ohio, and developed his game in nearby Willoughby before moving on to the University of Toledo and the NFL.
2025 Season Performance
Hunt’s 2025 campaign has served as a complementary backfield role behind Isiah Pacheco in Kansas City’s AFC champion offense. He re-signed with the Chiefs on a one-year deal in March and has provided short-yardage finishing and pass-catching reliability. Through the 2025 regular season, he had 163 carries for 611 yards and eight rushing touchdowns, with one receiving score.
His biggest 2025 moment came in Week 12, when he set a career high with 30 carries for 104 yards and a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts, earning AFC Offensive Player of the Week. The Chiefs remain a contender in the AFC playoff picture, and Hunt’s experience and red-zone usage figure to be a continued asset for the Kansas City offense.
