KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In their preseason finale against the Chicago Bears, the Kansas City Chiefs enjoyed a standout performance from rookie Carson Steele, who showcased his skills during their only first-half scoring drive.
Steele, an undrafted rookie from UCLA, displayed his unique football talent and personality, including owning a pet alligator named “Crocky J” back in Indiana. He began the drive with an impressive 18-yard run, followed by a 32-yard dash towards the end zone, which initially led to cheers from the crowd at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
“It’s a blessing,” said Steele about scoring a touchdown. “Hearing the screams and stuff like that, it was just awesome.”
However, the exhilaration was short-lived when the touchdown was reviewed and overturned, revealing that he had been pushed out of bounds just before reaching the end zone.
“I was hurting for a second,” Steele admitted. “It was tough.”
Despite the setback, Steele remained determined. After the replay review, he received the ball once again and successfully plowed in for a touchdown from one yard out, contributing all 50 yards during the three-play scoring drive.
Steele concluded the preseason with 11 carries for 87 yards and also made an impact as a kickoff returner, including a notable 29-yard return in the finale against the Bears. He even managed to record three tackles, starting with the opening kickoff, marking a rare occurrence for him.
“It was awesome,” Steele expressed. “I didn’t want to tell the coaches, but that’s my first tackle since middle school. But it was a great opportunity, and I need to work on my form a little.”
Entering training camp, Steele was not guaranteed a position on the team, but he embraced every challenge and worked on improving his performance each day.
“Being an undrafted guy on a two-time champion team, you really don’t know what to expect,” he said.
Now, with a solid preseason showing—including 847 rushing yards and six touchdowns last season with UCLA—Steele feels confident in his chances of making the Kansas City roster for the opening day.
“I really do hope I showed them what I can do,” he stated.
The next step for Steele is finding a place in Kansas City where he can keep his beloved alligator, “Crocky J.”
“Hopefully, Kansas lets me have him out. That’s been a goal of mine,” he shared.