| Carson Steele | |
| Number: | 42 |
| Current Team: | Kansas City Chiefs |
| Position: | Fullback |
| Birth Date: | 21 October 2002 |
| Birth Place: | Greenwood, Indiana, U.S. |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 1 |
| Weight Lb: | 228 |
| High School: | Center Grove (Greenwood, Indiana) |
| College: | Ball State (2021–2022) UCLA (2023) |
| Undraftedyear: | 2024 |
| Pastteams: |
|
| Status: | Active |
| Highlights: | |
| Statseason: | 2024 |
| Statweek: | 12 |
| Statlabel1: | Rushing yards |
| Statvalue1: | 158 |
| Statlabel2: | Rushing average |
| Statvalue2: | 3.29 |
| Statlabel3: | Rushing touchdowns |
| Statlabel4: | Receptions |
| Statvalue4: | 5 |
| Statlabel5: | Receiving yards |
| Statvalue5: | 24 |
| Statlabel6: | Receiving touchdowns |
| Statlabel7: | Return yards |
| Statvalue7: | 138 |
| Pfr: | SteeCa00 |
Carson Steele (born October 21, 2002) is an American professional fullback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ball State Cardinals and the UCLA Bruins. He was signed by the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent after the 2024 NFL draft.
Steele was raised in Greenwood, Indiana.[1] He was born to Joseph Steele and Angela Berry-Steele. He grew up alongside his older sister, Kesslar Steele.[2]
He attended Center 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 play college football at Ball 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 of The Athletic to his list of the top 100 "freaks" in college football.[8] On November 8, 2022, he rushed for a career-high 198 yards and three touchdowns against Toledo.[9] He also rushed for 192 yards against Kent State.[10] He was awarded MAC West Offensive Player of the Week twice during the 2022 season.[11] [12] Through games played on November 19, 2022, Steele ranked ninth nationally with 1,376 rushing yards on 263 attempts (5.2 yards per carry).[13]
On January 4, 2023, Steele committed to transfer to play at the University of California, Los Angeles, for the Bruins.[14]
| 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 | ||||
Steele was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent after the 2024 NFL draft.[15] Steele made the Chiefs' initial 53 man roster out of training camp as a hybrid reserve running back and fullback.[16]
Steele made his NFL debut in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL Season against the Baltimore Ravens. He had 2 carries for 3 yards along returning a kick for 28 yards in a 27–20 win for the Chiefs.[17]
In Week 3 against the Atlanta Falcons, he had 17 rushing attempts and 72 rushing yards, along with recording 1 reception for 2 yards in the Chiefs' 22-17 win.