The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
South grad Hunt claims rushing title
Kareem Hunt might never have a New Year’s Eve quite like this one.
That’s because Hunt’s celebration for a historic accomplishment was short and sweet. Hunt, a third-round pick out of Toledo, can now call himself an NFL rushing champion in just his first year in the league.
Hunt needed 14 yards on Dec. 31 to win the title. He did it on one carry.
The Willoughby South graduate’s rookie season ended with an exclamation point as Hunt scored on a 35-yard run early in the Chiefs’ game Dec. 31 against the Broncos. It was his only carry of the game. After that, he gave way to the backups.
That run enabled Hunt to surpass the Rams’ Todd Gurley for the rushing crown. Gurley entered the game as the NFL leader in rushing but he sat out Dec. 31 to prepare for the playoffs.
Hunt was rumored to sit out Dec. 31 also as the Chiefs were locked into the No. 4 seed as the AFC West champions. However, Hunt suited up and started the game. On Kansas City’s opening drive, Hunt took a handoff from backup Patrick Mahomes in the shotgun, found a crease up the middle, then used a short stiff arm to elude a Broncos defender and scampered to the end zone.
The run gave Hunt, a AFC Pro Bowl reserve, 1,327 yards for the season on 272 carries and eight touchdowns. As a receiver, he had 53 receptions for 455 yards and three more TDs.
On the homefront, South football coach Matt Duffy was excited about Hunt’s accomplishment.
“He’s a special talent and fantastic kid,” Duffy told The News-Herald. “As he continues to work — he
will continue to improve — the sky is the limit for this young man. He landed in a fantastic place. Very proud of him ... impressive stuff.”
Hunt is the first Kansas City player to win a rushing title since Priest Holmes in 2001. The Chiefs will host the Titans in an AFC wild-card playoff game Jan. 6.