Super Bowl: Isiah Pacheco's family tragedies stoke his passion

PHOENIX — Kansas City rookie running back Isiah Pacheco had come down a little from the high of reaching the Super Bowl and started to reflect on the tragic events he experienced in his life.

It was late last week, a few days before the team was flying here that Pacheco started feeling overwhelmed.

When Pacheco was in high school in Vineland, New Jersey, his brother and sister were killed within 20 months of each other. Pacheco will have 13 family members in attendance for Super Bowl LVII on Sunday against the Eagles, but he couldn’t help but think about who wouldn’t be there.

“It all hit me at once,” Pacheco said. “I had to soak it all in because I’ve been running from it and running from it. I had to soak it in. I called my parents. I’m proud of myself. I tend to stay so hard on myself and not soak it all in. During times like that you have to relieve the distress.”

Pacheco, 22,  was 15 when his older brother Travoise Cannon was stabbed to death. He was 17 when his sister Celeste Cannon was murdered by a gunshot. Pacheco described his sister as his “best friend” and his brother as the person who “encouraged” him to play football.

Those tragedies taught Pacheco how to be resilient. Three days after his sister’s death, Pacheco ran for 222 yards to lead Vineland to a win. He termed his mental toughness “off the charts.” It has carried him through four years at Rutgers and into the NFL.

On Sunday, the seventh-round pick will be Kansas City’s lead back in the biggest game of his life.

“Those times helped me become the man I am today,” Pacheco said. “There’s guys nowadays they choose the easy route. I didn’t want to take the easy route. I wanted to go and build a name for myself and my family. I wanted to stay home in New Jersey and represent New Jersey. I didn’t want to transfer. I knew I didn’t want to be a number. I wanted to be a name that would always be remembered.”

Pacheco could really make a name for himself on Sunday. Kansas City running backs coach Greg Lewis said the first time he met and spoke to Pacheco face-to-face he believed the young man could have a big impact on the team.

“I just felt the energy, I felt the passion, I felt the desire that could be infectious to our team and our organization,” Lewis said. “He was the one guy that I wanted to get. I told him at the Combine — we’re coming to get you.”

Pacheco ended up being the 251st player drafted, just 11 picks before Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy, who helped San Francisco reach the NFC Championship Game. Like Purdy, Pacheco had an impressive rookie season that would have been difficult to script or predict.

He started out backing up Clyde Edwards-Helaire. But Kansas City coaches saw Pacheco getting more comfortable in the offense and improving each day. He eventually became the starting back and led the team in rushing with 830 yards. Over the last nine weeks of the regular season, Pacheco compiled 750 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns.

“If you go look at the film this year and everything he’s done, that’s not a seventh-round running back,” veteran running back Jerick McKinnon said.

McKinnon has seen “tremendous growth” from Pacheco after he showed up like a typical rookie with his “head spinning” from the playbook and protections he had to learn. McKinnon has tried to help Pacheco in any way he needs it, on and off the field.

He said Pacheco opened up to him only once about what happened when he was in high school. McKinnon said they have built a relationship that will go beyond football.

“He’s definitely been through a rough patch,” McKinnon said. “We really don’t know the answer to things or why things happen. Like I tell him every week, God put you here for a purpose. Think about everything you’ve been through — you’re here for a reason. This is not by mistake.

“He always talks about he’s proud of his last name and I say, ‘You should be because you’re the chosen one, Keep being you. Keep making that stamp and that impression on everybody and the sky’s the limit for you.’ ”

Pacheco seems to be in a good place now. He’s looking forward to sharing this big moment with his family, but he’ll also be thinking about who isn’t there.

“Most of them are going to be at the game,” Pacheco said. “When I see them, I’ll say a prayer and then it’s game time.”

By Al Iannazzone

al.iannazzone@newsday.comAl_Iannazzone

Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.