KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kareem Hunt was a star in his two seasons for the Kansas City Chiefs before his abrupt release in 2018. The Chiefs will see what it's like to defend against Hunt for the first time Sunday when they face the Cleveland Browns in the divisional round of the playoffs at Arrowhead Stadium.
"I like Kareem," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Monday. "I'm glad things are going well for him. He knows a lot of the guys who were on [the Chiefs] last year and probably felt bad about not being a part of all that. Most of all I'm happy for him that things are going in the right direction for him."
Hunt was released by Kansas City late in the 2018 season after video surfaced of him shoving and kicking a woman outside his residence.
Hunt, drafted by the Chiefs in the third round in 2017, led the NFL in rushing as a rookie and was having another strong season in 2018 when the Chiefs let him go.
The Browns signed him ahead of the 2019 season, but Hunt didn't make his Cleveland debut until Week 10 after serving an eight-game suspension. He signed a two-year extension with the Browns worth $13.25 million, including $8.5 million guaranteed, a source told ESPN in September.
One of Hunt's final games for the Chiefs came against the Browns in his hometown of Cleveland. Hunt that day rushed for 91 yards and two touchdowns and caught a 50-yard touchdown pass.