Willoughby South Graduate Kareem Hunt Makes Excellent NFL debut

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Hunt fumbled the football on his first carry Thursday night in the NFL season opener against the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots. It was the first time since he carried the football for Willoughby South that Hunt lost a fumble. He only fumbled once at Toledo, however he recovered that one.  

The fumble likely eliminated the NFL debut nerves Hunt was feeling. Things only got better after that. Hunt recorded his first NFL touchdown in the final seconds of the first half. Hunt was on the receiving end of a three-yard touchdown pass from Alex Smith. The touchdown cut the Chiefs deficit to 17-14 at halftime.

Hunt recorded his second career NFL touchdown reception early in the fourth quarter. It went for 78-yards and gave Kansas City a 28-27 lead.  It was the go ahead score and gave them a lead that they would not surrender.  

Hunt capped off his debut to remember with his first rushing touchdown with 5:14 left in the game to put the game away with a stunning upset victor for the Chiefs. Hunt took a pitch from Smith to the right and was able to strectch the football across the goalline inside of the front right pylon for a four-yard touchdown run. It extended the Chiefs lead to 35-27.

Kansas City would stun the Super Bowl champs in front of their home fans 42-27. The Chiefs outscored the Patriots 21-0 in the fourth quarter thanks to several long runs broken off by Hunt who grabbed the nations attention tonight. 

His longest run of the night came with under four minutes remaining. Hunt took a toss sweep down the left sideline for 58-yards. Hunt finished his first regular season game with 246 all-purpose yards. It’s the most all-purpose yards by a rookie in week one in NFL history.

The final numbers are staggering as he went for 17 carries for 148 yards with a touchdown and a fumble lost. That’s an average of nearly nine-yards per carry. He caught five passes for 98-yards and two touchdowns.

To quote NBC Sunday Night Football color commentator Chris Collingsworth, ‘A star is born.’

submitted by S. Piker.