Chiefs running back Carson Steele had a big night on Sunday – but he also missed a significant family moment in the process.
Filling in for the injured Isiah Pacheco, undrafted free agent Steele made his first start for Kansas City, getting 17 carries for 72 yards in a close win over Atlanta.
At the same time, however, his sister Kesslar was getting married in Greenwood, Indiana and Steele was forced to miss the event.
NBC’s broadcast of the Sunday night game showed a clip of the entire party watching and cheering as Steele took a handoff for a first down.
After the game, he was asked by NBC’s Rodney Harrison if he’d rather have been at his sister’s game or playing for Kansas City.
‘Man, I hate to say it, but I’d be here every day of the week,’ he laughed.
‘Love you Kesslar. I hope it went well.’
Steele also told the Kansas City Star that his sister – during her wedding week no less – offered him support after he fumbled in Week 2.
‘She had a crazy busy week, so we talked back and forth, and she calmed me down about things,’ he said,
The rookie out of Ball State and UCLA should have a much larger role than he expected in the coming weeks after Pacheco was sidelined with a broken fibula suffered in Week 2.
Pacheco’s injury timeline was originally thought to be 6-8 weeks but coach Andy Reid gave a worrying update last week.
‘I can’t give you a time when he’ll return,’ Reid told reporters. ‘We’ll just see if it’s this season or next season. We’ll see how he does as he goes here.’
Pacheco’s injury occurred during the fourth quarter of the Chiefs’ Week 2 win over the Bengals.
Veteran running back Samaje Perine is also working behind him, and the team re-signed former player Kareem Hunt as well.