Taylor Swift and her celebrity entourage had the attention off the field Sunday night as the New York Jets hosted the Kansas City Chiefs.
But it was Vineland's Isiah Pacheco who was the focus on the field, as he helped lead the Chiefs in a close win over the Jets.
"That's Jersey's own right there," Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes told Melissa Stark after the game. "I knew when we got to Jersey, he was gonna show out, and he made some big runs, some big tough runs to help us win the game."
Pacheco, 24, is in his second season with the Chiefs, and already has championship ring. He was the team's leading rushing in their win over the Philadelphia Eagles in last season's Super Bowl.
He shone again on Sunday Night Football, scoring the team's first touchdown of the game with a career-long 48-yard run.
The Jets put up a surprising challenge to the defending champs, with Pacheco's numbers making a difference in the three-point win.
He had 115 yards rushing and 43 receiving.
"It was an amazing experience," he told Stark. "I couldn't be more proud doing it with my teammates and getting the victory tonight with all my guys."
Pacheco drew comparisons to Marshawn Lynch, the running back nicknamed “Beast Mode” for his ferocious, physical running style. Lynch played 12 season in the NFL, winning Super Bowl XLVIII with the Seattle Seahawks.
Sunday night was a homecoming of sorts for Pacheco, who also spent his college career in New Jersey, playing for Rutgers University's Scarlett Knights. It was his first time playing in the state as an NFL player.
Much of the attention has been on tight end Travis Kelce, with Swift attending the second game where she cheered on the team next to Kelce's mother. This time, the superstar singer brought a celebrity entourage that included Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Hugh Jackman and Sabrina Carpenter.
Swift and Lively were shown cheering when Pacheco made his touchdown.
