DETROIT LIONS RUNNING BACK ISIAH PACHECO UNDERGOES BACK SURGERY

Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco has undergone back surgery, head coach Dan Campbell has confirmed. Pacheco began the season on injured reserve and will remain out for a significant period, Campbell said. Campbell told reporters the recovery would take "a significant amount of time" but stopped short of giving an exact date for Pacheco's return. Ian Rapoport reported that Pacheco could be back in action by December. A separate report put the expected recovery period at around 12 weeks.

Pacheco's absence leaves the Lions short of depth in the backfield. Jahmyr Gibbs carried a heavy workload in Sunday's game, and Campbell said that pace of carries cannot realistically continue every week. Sione Vaki, the team's second-choice running back, struggled with pass protection during the same game. Campbell described Vaki's performance as "inconsistent". Campbell gave no indication that Pacheco would return in time to share the load with Gibbs.

Campbell said there was no clear prospect of Pacheco returning soon to ease the pressure on Gibbs. Rapoport's reported December timeline would keep Pacheco out for several months from the point of surgery. The Lions' choice of backup running back behind Gibbs remains unresolved, according to reporting on the team. Campbell's comments leave open the question of whether Detroit will add further depth at the position while Pacheco recovers. No further update on Pacheco's condition has been confirmed beyond Campbell's statement and Rapoport's report.