Hometown Huddle

by Marc Narducci | Feb 5, 2025

It isn’t easy finding fans of the Kansas City Chiefs in the Delaware Valley as they take on the Eagles in Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.

Yet, Dan Russo and his wife Misty will be rooting hard for the Chiefs and for good reason.

Dan Russo is the former Vineland High football coach, who is still the head boys’ basketball coach there.

During his time coaching football, Russo coached Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco, who is in his third NFL season and will be competing in his third straight Super Bowl.

Pacheco, who later starred at Rutgers, was a big part of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl winning teams his first two years.

During the Super Bowl after Pacheco’s first season, the Chief beat the Eagles, 38-35 in Glendale, Arizona.

Pacheco sent two tickets to Dan and Misty Russo, who were thrilled to attend the game.

So, it’s no surprise where Russo’s rooting interest will be in the Chiefs-Eagles rematch.

“I am a Chiefs fan,” Dan Russo said.

He says he knows more people from the Vineland area who are also in Pacheco’s corner.

“It seems like a lot of people are on board with the Chiefs and Pacheco,” he said. “He is hard not to root for and a great kid with great charisma.”

Pacheco was drafted in the seventh round of the NFL draft. Before the draft, several NFL teams talked to Russo about Pacheco.

“When the scouts came to talk to me about him, I said that he checks every box,” Russo said. “He brings so much juice, and the team feeds off his energy.”

In his first two regular seasons, Pacheco was a major problem for opposing defenses. He rushed for 1,765 yards (4.7 avg.) and 12 touchdowns while catching 29 passes for 187 yards and one touchdown. In seven playoff games during the first two years, he rushed for 530 yards on 118 carries (4.4 avg.) and four touchdowns. He caught 18 passes for 125 yards.

In the Super Bowl win over the Eagles, he rushed for 76 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries.

This year has been an injury-plagued season for Pacheco. In the second week of the season, he broke his leg during a 26-25 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Pacheco was having an impressive game, with 90 rushing yards on 15 carries before the injury.

He didn’t return until Nov. 29 when the Chiefs beat the Las Vegas Raiders 19-17.

In seven regular season games he rushed for 310 yards (3.7 avg.) and one touchdown, with 12 receptions for 79 yards.

He has rushed for 30 yards on 10 carries in the two playoff games, along with two receptions for 12 yards.

“I talked to him the day after the (Chiefs 32-29 AFC championship) win (over Buffalo) and he is doing really well and feeling healthy,” Russo said. “He is getting back to full strength and getting ready for the Super Bowl.”

And Russo is looking forward to yet another Super Bowl with his former player performing.

“I am very excited for him,” Russo said. “He had earned everything with his hard work, and he is a really special person, and I was so fortunate to coach him.”

Article continues below

- Seizing the Moment

After the spring season was canceled last year due to the pandemic, these standout student-athletes from South Jersey are hoping to make the most of their opportunities in 2021.

Photo: Dan Russo (left) along with Isiah Pacheco and Misty Russo at Super Bowl LVII / Courtesy of Dan Russo

Author: Marc Narducci

Hometown Huddle

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