KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt sent a message early in his rookie season that no one should sleep on him, and the Pro Football Writers of America didn’t in awarding the league’s leading rusher with its Rookie of the Year award and a share of the group’s Offensive Rookie of the Year honor.
Kareem Hunt sent a message to opponents not to go to sleep on him during his touchdown celebration against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 17, 2017. (Photo by Justin Olson, ChiefsDigest.com)
Fellow Chiefs rookie Harrison Butker joined Hunt on the group’s all-rookie team at kicker. The New Orleans Saints led all teams four selections on the all-rookie team. The Chiefs tied with the Detroit Lions, New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers with the second-most selections with two each.
Hunt shared the offensive rookie award with Saints running back Alvin Kamara. That marks the first tie for offensive rookie honors since 1988 when running backs Ickey Woods of Cincinnati and John Stephens of New England tied for the award.
Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore won the Defensive Rookie of the Year award from the organization.
Hunt is the first Chiefs player to win the PFWA Rookie of the Year award since its inception in 1966. He is also the first Chiefs player to win the organization’s offensive rookie of the year since first awarded in 1969. Four Chiefs have won defensive rookie of the year awards: Jim Marsalis (1969), Derrick Thomas (1989), Dale Carter (1992) and Marcus Peters (2015).
Hunt, a third-round selection from Toledo and the No. 98 pick overall in this year’s draft, led the league with 1,327 rushing yards and ranked third with 1,782 yards from scrimmage. He set an NFL rookie in gaining 100 or more yards from scrimmage in the first seven games of his career. He received the NFL’s offensive rookie of the month award in both September and December.
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Matt Derrick is the lead beat writer for ChiefsDigest.com. Use the contact page to reach him or find him on Twitter: @MattDerrick.
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