_(cropped)-Carson_Steele.jpg) Steele with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2024 | |||||||||||||||||
| No. 42 –Kansas City Chiefs | |||||||||||||||||
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| Position: | Fullback /Running Back | ||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
| Born: | (2002-10-21)October 21, 2002 (age 22) Greenwood, Indiana, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 228 lb (103 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||
| High school: | Center Grove (Greenwood, Indiana) | ||||||||||||||||
| College: | Ball State (2021–2022) UCLA (2023) | ||||||||||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2024 | ||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics as of Week 18, 2024 | |||||||||||||||||
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Carson Steele (born October 21, 2002) is an American professionalFullback andRunning Back for theKansas City Chiefs of theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football for theBall State Cardinals and theUCLA Bruins. He was signed by the Chiefs as anundrafted free agent after the2024 NFL draft.
Steele was raised inGreenwood, Indiana.[1] He was born to Joseph Steele and Angela Berry-Steele. He grew up alongside his older sister, Kesslar Steele.[2]
He attendedCenter Grove High School in Greenwood,[3] rushing for 1,659 yards and 31 touchdowns as a senior in 2020.[4] He tallied a total of 5,907 rushing yards during his high school career.[5] He was selected as Mr. Football in Indiana after the 2020 season.[6]
Steele signed a letter of intent to playcollege football atBall State University in February 2021.[6] As a freshman in 2021, he rushed for 891 yards and six touchdowns.[7] During his freshman year, he squatted 615 pounds and was able to bench press 405 lbs.[8]Barstool Sports' podcast "Unnecessary Roughness" called him "the most interesting man in CFB (college football)."[8]
Prior to the 2022 season, Steele was selected by Bruce Feldman ofThe Athletic to his list of the top 100 "freaks" in college football.[9][8] On November 8, 2022, he rushed for a career-high 198 yards and three touchdowns againstToledo.[10] He also rushed for 192 yards againstKent State.[11] He was awarded MAC West Offensive Player of the Week twice during the2022 season.[12][13] Through games played on November 19, 2022, Steele ranked ninth nationally with 1,376 rushing yards on 263 attempts (5.2 yards per carry).[14]
On January 4, 2023, Steele committed to transfer to play at theUniversity of California, Los Angeles, for theBruins.[15] He was again named to Bruce Feldman's "freak list" for a second straight time in 2023.[16]
| Season | Games | Rushing | Receiving | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yards | Avg | TD | Rec | Yards | Avg | TD | |||||
| Ball State Cardinals | ||||||||||||||
| 2021 | 13 | 7 | 192 | 891 | 4.6 | 6 | 12 | 157 | 13.1 | 1 | ||||
| 2022 | 12 | 12 | 289 | 1,556 | 5.4 | 14 | 29 | 166 | 5.7 | 1 | ||||
| UCLA Bruins | ||||||||||||||
| 2023 | 12 | 9 | 167 | 847 | 5.1 | 6 | 17 | 163 | 9.6 | 2 | ||||
| Career | 37 | 28 | 648 | 3,294 | 5.1 | 26 | 58 | 486 | 8.4 | 4 | ||||
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft0+5⁄8 in (1.84 m) | 228 lb (103 kg) | 30+1⁄2 in (0.77 m) | 9+5⁄8 in (0.24 m) | 4.77 s | 1.60 s | 2.70 s | 4.36 s | 7.07 s | 37.5 in (0.95 m) | 9 ft 8 in (2.95 m) | 28 reps | |
| All values fromPro Day[17] | ||||||||||||
Steele was signed by theKansas City Chiefs as anundrafted free agent after the2024 NFL draft.[18] Steele made the Chiefs' initial 53 man roster listed as a fullback instead of his collegiate position of running back.[19]
Steele made his NFL debut in Week 1 of the2024 NFL Season against theBaltimore Ravens. He had 2 carries for 3 yards along returning a kick for 28 yards in a 27–20 win for the Chiefs.[20]
In Week 3 against theAtlanta Falcons, he had 17 rushing attempts and 72 rushing yards, along with recording 1 reception for 2 yards in the Chiefs' 22-17 win.
As a rookie, Steele played both fullback (his designated position) and running back on offense and occasionally returned kicks on special teams. He was used mainly as a run blocker and short yardage runner.
Steele played a total of 199 offensive snaps in his rookie season. He played 190 snaps in the backfield, 2 snaps as a tight end, 1 as a slot receiver, and 6 out wide. Steele finished his rookie season with 183 rushing yards on 56 attempts and 26 receiving yards on 7 receptions. He also returned 5 kicks for 138 yards. Steele was an alternate for the2025 Pro Bowl and finished second behindPatrick Ricard of theBaltimore Ravens amongAFCfullbacks in Pro Bowl voting.
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Returning | Fumbles | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rt | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2024 | KC | 17 | 3 | 56 | 183 | 3.3 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 26 | 3.7 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 138 | 27.6 | 31 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Career | 17 | 3 | 56 | 183 | 3.3 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 26 | 3.7 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 138 | 27.6 | 31 | 0 | 3 | 2 | |
