Chiefs’ Running back Isaiah Pacheco celebrates the arrival of his first child with his girlfriend.

A lot can happen in a year. Just ask Kansas City Chiefs rookie running back, Isiah Pacheco. A year ago, Pacheco was accepting an invite to the NFL combine after another standout season at Rutgers University in his home state of New Jersey. On Sunday, February 12, Pacheco will be in Arizona,Born in Vineland, New Jersey,

Pacheco’s background has Puerto Rican heritage on his father’s side, as confirmed by NFL reps. Pacheco worked hard and endured tragedy in his childhood, as both of his siblings were killed when he was still in high school. These losses took place within a two-year span and have helped inspire Pacheco’s rise. In fact,right before attending Rutgers University on a football scholarship, “I don’t want to be one of those kids who says, ‘I could have done this, or I wish I would have done that better.”

Look at him now.

On a Kansas City Chiefs team loaded with stars and talent like Patrick Mahomes, Pacheco’s rise to NFL stardom has been even more surprising.

It’s not that he was never loaded with talent, but going from seventh-round draft pick out of Rutgers to the starting running back for a Super Bowl-bound team in less than a year is certainly a monumental rise.