Isiah Pacheco’s ethnicity — All about his Latino heritage

Isiah Pacheco capped off an outstanding rookie NFL season with Super Bowl victory. The Kansas City Chiefs drafted Pacheco in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Pacheco gradually established himself as the team’s starting running back, finishing the season with 830 rushing yards. 

“I don’t think we could ask for anything better,” Pacheco’s father, Julio, told NJ Advance Media after the Chiefs’ Super Bowl win. “I’m pinching myself every day, all the time. I’m numb. Numb, numb, numb. It’s amazing. Who would have ever thought? I’ll say this: God don’t make no mistakes.”

Isiah Pacheco’s Latino family has lost two members to senseless violence

Isiah Pacheco was born on 2nd March 1999 to Felicia Cannon and Julio Pacheco in Bridgeton, New Jersey. He is of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent. 

Pacheco’s Latino family has endured the crushing deaths of two siblings. In January 2016, Pacheco’s oldest sibling, Travoise, was stabbed to death in his apartment complex. The man who stabbed Travoise claimed self-defense and pleaded guilty to hiding evidence. 

After scoring an 80-yard touchdown in his freshman season in college, Pacheco blew kisses at Felicia. He told NJ Advance Media:

“I had an electric four-wheeler, and my brother first taught me how to ride. That was always something I liked to do as a hobby, riding four-wheelers and dirt bikes. He was my mom’s first baby.”

In September 2017, Pacheco’s sister, Celeste, died of a gunshot wound to the head inflicted by the father of one of her kids. Pacheco has tattoos commemorating his sister and brother and plays to honor them. He said:

“My brother, if he was to see me here, he’d be shocked,” he said. “He encouraged me to play football as a kid and he never got the opportunity to see me play. Having an opportunity to play ball, it helps me a lot not worrying about the tragedies that happened. It makes me want to go harder. I play football for them.”

Julio affirmed that Pacheco’s primary motivation is celebrating his deceased siblings: “He does it for them,” Julio said. “Every time he steps onto that field, he does it for them.”

Pacheco kept the tragedy a secret from most teammates until shortly before the postseason. The enthusiastic and energetic Pacheco didn’t play or act like someone who’d endured such trauma. Running back Jerrick McKinnon said:

“It’s crazy. I never knew until a couple weeks ago when I saw a feature story on him, and you know what? I respect the hell out of him — even more than I did before because of all he’s had to overcome.”