Chiefs’ Isiah Pacheco emotional in locker room. What Andy Reid said about RB’s ankle

Before he left the locker room to go to Sunday’s postgame news conference, Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid stopped, turning right to move toward Isiah Pacheco’s locker.

The running back was emotional there. With a towel draped over his head, Pacheco had watery eyes after leaving Sunday’s 26-25 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals with an ankle injury.

The coach put his arm around Pacheco’s shoulder, saying a few words to him. Pacheco nodded, and after Reid left, teammate Carson Steele came over to speak to him as well.

At the time, Pacheco was still walking around the locker room under his own power. Later, though, ESPN’s Jeff Darlington reported Pacheco left the stadium in crutches and with a walking boot.

Kansas City TV station KSHB 41 also tweeted a photo of Pacheco exiting with a boot on his right foot.

Just a few minutes after talking with Pacheco in the locker room, Reid spoke about the injury with reporters in the media room.

“We’ll just have to see. He’s having some tests done on it now — X-rays, all that stuff,” Reid said. “So I don’t have anything for you, exactly what it is. But he came out with the ankle (injury).”

When asked how bad he thought Pacheco’s ailment might be, Reid said, “I don’t actually know right now.”

“I’ve just got to see,” Reid said. “They’re doing all the stuff right now, so I haven’t really had a chance to talk to him or anything about it.”

Pacheco’s status will surely be followed closely by Chiefs fans and fantasy football owners alike.

The third-year back had solidified himself in a nearly every-down role for the team this season after working to improve his pass-catching skills this offseason. KC relied on him heavily against a beat-up Cincinnati defensive line Sunday, as Pacheco rushed 19 times for 90 yards while also grabbing five receptions for 21 yards.

Steele figures to be next in line for Pacheco’s workload should he miss time. The undrafted rookie was a standout in training camp and one of Pro Football Focus’ top-graded running backs during the preseason.

Steele had some struggles Sunday, rushing seven times for 24 yards while losing a first-half fumble.

“He’s another young guy. You’ve got to keep that ball up against your body in this league,” Reid said. “He was down low — and he had two hands on it — but it starts rising up, and all of a sudden, you get it punched out.

“It’s something he can learn from. You can’t do that at this level. He came back and he ran hard for us.”

The Chiefs also have veteran Samaje Perine, who joined the team after the Denver Broncos released him. Perine also could be in line for additional snaps if Pacheco misses time, though his intended role when acquired was as a third-down back whose specialties were pass protection and catching balls out of the backfield.