To kick off NFL free agency last week, the Kansas City Chiefs shockingly signed former San Francisco 49ers running back Elijah Mitchell to a one-year deal. On the surface, the Mitchell signing appeared to be a sign that the Chiefs might not bring back Kareem Hunt.
However, that wasn’t the case as Kansas City re-signed Hunt during the first week of free agency. With that being said, Mitchell, who has struggled with injuries throughout his NFL career, will likely be competing with Carson Steele for the RB3 spot.
The 26-year-old missed the entire 2024 season due to a hamstring injury. On Thursday, the former 49ers running back met with the Kansas City media for the first time and provided a big injury update that will excite Chiefs fans.
According to Charles Goldman of AtoZ Sports, Mitchell said he’s back at 100% and will be ready to go when the team starts back up in May.
New #Chiefs RB Elijah Mitchell on his health: “I’m back at 100%. I’ll be ready to go when we start back up in May.”
— Charles Goldman (@goldmctNFL) March 20, 2025
If you are a Chiefs fan, you are happy to hear that Mitchell is healthy heading into minicamp and OTAs. The veteran running back has only played in 27 games across four seasons. Mitchell has been slowed down by multiple injuries (rib, knee, and shoulder).
The last time we saw the former 49er running back on the field was in 2023 when he appeared in 11 games (five starts). During that season, Mitchell produced 281 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 75 carries.
Mitchell averages 4.7 yards per carry for his career, which is good. However, he must stay healthy to be a factor on the ground.
Nonetheless, this is a good low-risk, high-reward signing for the Chiefs. If Mitchell stays healthy that will bolster your running game in 2025. But if it doesn’t work out, the team still has Hunt, Isiah Pacheco, and Steele on the roster.
