Inside Isiah Pacheco's journey from Vineland to Rutgers to Super Bowl LVII

It's roughly 2,400 miles from Vineland to Glendale, Arizona — site of Super Bowl LVII.

For the city's favorite native son, the journey has been much longer.

Isiah "Pop" Pacheco, who grew up playing on the football fields in Vineland, will be on the gridiron for the nation's biggest game on Feb. 12.

Pacheco will be the starting running back for Kansas City when the Chiefs play the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl.

Here's a look at some of the moments that Pacheco has experienced during his ride to the pinnacle of his sport:

NFL draft was 'worth the wait'

Pacheco never looks nervous or uneasy when a football is his hands.

The same couldn't be said on a tense afternoon last April when he held his cellphone with a death grip, anxiously awaiting a call during the NFL Draft.

On the third day of the draft, Pacheco looked more and more distressed as players were being selected in the seventh, and final, round of the event.

With friends and family surrounding him at a draft watch party at the Double Eagle Saloon in town, Pacheco left the room to go outside when his phone rang.

When he returned, Pacheco's trademark thousand-watt smile said it all.

Pop was ready to party.

More:Kansas City, here comes "Pop" Pacheco: Chiefs select Vineland native in NFL Draft

Super Bowl-bound

In the span of just nine months, Pacheco went from being a seventh-round draft pick to starting running back who will be playing in Super Bowl LVII.

After rushing for 95 yards against Jacksonville in the AFC Divisional Round, Pacheco ran for 26 yards and caught five passes for 59 yards as the Chiefs punched their ticket to the Big Game.

More:Vineland's Isiah Pacheco to play in Super Bowl LVII against Eagles

Dealing with loss

While Pacheco’s life on the football field has been filled with plenty of joy, off the field, he has dealt with more than his share of tragedy and heartache.

Within a 21-month span while he was still in high school, Pacheco mourned the loss of his brother, Tavaris Cannon, and sister, Celeste Cannon, along with the passing of his grandmother.

Tavaris Cannon was stabbed to death in Bridgeton in 2016. He was 26.

Celeste Cannon, a mother of three, was found shot to death in Millville in 2017. She was 23.

More:McGurk: Vineland's Isaih Pacheco shows toughness in an unthinkable way

From Rutgers to the NFL Draft

Pacheco took to Twitter to make it official: Pop declared himself eligible for the NFL Draft in December of 2021.

He finished his Rutgers career with 2,442 rushing yards, which stands seventh on the Scarlet Knights’ all-time list. As a senior, he was a team captain and was an All-Big Ten honorable mention selection.

More:Rutgers running back, Vineland native Isaih Pacheco declaring for NFL Draft

Dazzling Chiefs debut

Less than five months after being drafted by Kansas City, Pacheco suited up for his professional debut against Arizona on Sept. 11, donning No. 10.

Pop found the end zone and led the team in rushing (62 yards) for the game.

Now, he'll be returning to Glendale to play in a much bigger game.

More:Vineland's 'Pop' Pacheco reaches end zone in NFL debut, Chiefs' victory

Everybody loves a parade

Pacheco was honored by his hometown in June when Vineland celebrated its native son with a parade and a key to the city.

The parade route started at Gittone Stadium, the site of many of Pacheco’s highlight-reel runs during his scholastic days, and traveled down Landis Ave. before moving over to City Hall.

More:Vineland to honor 'Pop' Pacheco with parade, key to city

Mr. Vineland

Pacheco has won plenty of trophies in his lifetime, but only one has come with a crown and sash.

In January of 2018, Pacheco was named Mr. Vineland at the school’s popular pageant. He was one of 12 candidates vying for the award.

More:Mr. Vineland 2018 crown goes to Pacheco

Staying home

Pacheco knew exactly where he wanted to play his college football.

“I wanted to play for New Jersey and rep,” Pacheco said when he wanted to compete for his “hometown” university and committed to Rutgers in June 2017.

More:FOOTBALL: Vineland's Isaih Pacheco commits to Rutgers

The Pop in Pacheco's bat

Pacheco and two-sport legend Bo Jackson, who played in the National Football League and Major League Baseball, have more in common than just the ability to punish defenses with their combination of blazing and punishing running styles.

They both were game changers on the diamond, too.

Pacheco only played one season of baseball in high school, but it was an impressive performance that led to him earning The Daily Journal’s Boys Athlete of the Year.

More:Vineland's Isaih Pacheco is The Daily Journal Boys' Athlete of the Year

Quick hits

Pacheco enjoyed a stellar high school debut, rushing for three touchdowns, including the go-ahead score in a 27-26 victory at Middle Township in 2014.

In 2017, Pacheco led Vineland to clinch a share of the West Jersey Football League title — its first banner since 1985 — with a 28-18 win at Millville on Thanksgiving.

Vineland head coach Dan Russo saw all of Pacheco's games in high school and called Pop's first Vineland-Millville contest one of his best performances. He rushed for 159 yards with touchdowns and threw for a third score in a 44-40 loss to the Thunderbolts.

He was a four-year captain with the Fighting Clan, rushing for over 3,100 yards and passing for more than 1,400 in his career.

Pacheco went on to star at Rutgers where he rushed for 2,442 yards, which stands seventh on the Scarlet Knight’s all-time list. As a senior, he was a team captain and was an All-Big Ten honorable mention selection.

Tom McGurk is a regional sports editor for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and Burlington County Times, covering South Jersey sports for over 30 years. If you have a sports story that needs to be told, contact him at (856) 486-2420 or email tmcgurk@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @McGurkSports. Help support local journalism with a digital subscription.

This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Isiah Pacheco of Vineland NJ makes journey to 2023 Super Bowl