There are many reasons why Chiefs fans love running back Carson Steele.
In addition to working his tail off to make the team as an undrafted free agent, Steele never backs down from contact, runs hard and, oh by the way, has a pet alligator named “Crocky-J.”
Steele made his first NFL start Sunday in place of the injured Isiah Pacheco in the Chiefs’ 22-17 win at Atlanta. He rushed for 72 yards in 17 attempts, an average of 4.2 yards per rush.
When Steele had a strong showing in the preseason, Chiefs safety Justin Reid suggested some nicknames for the rookie, including the Man of Steele and Steele Plow.
During the latest episode of the New Heights podcast, tight end Travis Kelce revealed a couple more monikers, including one based off the 1980s movie, “Crocodile Dundee.”
“Carson Steele had a hell of a game. My dog, four-two, man. ‘Dundee,’ as I call him,” Kelce said. “He’s got the Crocky-J alligator back in Indiana as a present from his dad, which is the coolest thing ever. And he just runs the ball like a maniac. Just like a freight train. Some people are calling him the ‘White Rhino.’
“He’s hitting the hole, and he’s dragging guys for an extra 3, 4 yards every single time he hits somebody or he’s at the point of contact. And you just love a guy that just hits the hole like that. That puts such a strain on the defense.”
Personally, I kind of like “The White Rhino” for Steele more than “Dundee.”
Jason Kelce, the New Heights co-host, said Steele runs like a former Miami Dolphins legend.
“When he leans forward, he looks so much like Larry Csonka,” Jason Kelce said. “Like you remember watching Larry Csonka run? It’s almost like a torpedo that’s like at an angle off the ground. That’s what he reminds me of, for some reason.”
Praise for Rashee
Travis Kelce also had good things to say about wide receiver Rashee Rice.
Rice has 24 receptions for 288 yards through the Chiefs’ first three games.
“Rashee, he’s rolling right now. Man, I couldn’t be happier for the guy,” Kelce said. “You want to talk about one of the hardest workers in the building. Week in, week out, day in, day out, he is out there busting his ass in practice. And I’ll tell you what, man, he’s getting rewarded with the way he’s playing right now.
“He’s the charge right now. He’s the front runner in terms of, like, who we’re going to, who we’re trying to get the ball in his hands. Every single time he touches the ball, he’s breaking tackles. He’s finding a way to get the ball. He’s finding a way to get first downs. He’s doing an unbelievable job in terms of blocking and just helping the rest of his teammates out when they got the rock. And he’s playing selfless football and and I couldn’t be happier for him right now.”
Kelce not worried about stats
Travis Kelce is aware of the talk about the drop in his statistics this season. He has 8 catches for 69 yards and no touchdowns. But the Chiefs’ 3-0 record makes up for it.
“I’ve had a lot of catches in this league, man,” he said. “I’m not worried about the catches and the yards and all of that. I have the most fun when I get the ball thrown my way. I mean, who doesn’t? It has everything to do with execution, just making sure that we’re doing whatever we can to win these football games, man. That’s always going to be the goal.”
Kelce added later: “As long as we’re winning football games, we’re good to go, baby.”
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