“I actually got Steel when I was in college. Patrick bought him for me for a Valentine’s Day gift when I was a junior,” Mahomes said. “So, I actually used to be a Steelers fan and that’s how I got the name Steel, so that’s a great story.”
Well, “great” might be a little much. But we suppose when the Chiefs drafted Mahomes in 2017, it was too late to change it to “Chief.” Or “Arrow.” Or something.
JUNE 5 NEW ROLE? Kicker Harrison Butker might have a lighter load thanks to the NFL’s new rules for kickoffs, which are expected to produce more returns and theoretically more tackle attempts for kickers.
Kansas City might not using Butker for all kickoffs this fall, as noted on the latest episode of the “New Heights” podcast with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
“Obviously it’s not because Harrison can’t do it,” Kelce said. “He’s one of the best guys in the league at doing it. He’s got one of the best legs in the game. He typically kicks it into the stands, through the end zone when he does kick off.”
But that’s not what the new rules will always call for. So …Veteran safety Justin Reid might be a candidate to handle some kickoffs in place of Butker – and then to be an 11th tackler on the field.
“He has a great leg,” Kelce said. “And he just so happens to be one of our best tacklers on the team.”
JUNE 5 – STEELERS RELEASE CHIEFS EX – Less than a week after signing him, the Pittsburgh Steelers have released second-year receiver Izaiah Gathings.
The former undrafted free agent out of Middle Tennessee State originally signed with the New York Jets last offseason after participating in their rookie minicamp. However, he was released by the Jets, which allowed him to join the Kansas City Chiefs, where he spent part of last season on the practice squad.
JUNE 4 KC IDOL Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has no shortage of admirers, including one superstar cornerback who grew up dreaming of being “just like” Kelce.
Said New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner: “I used to just DM [Travis Kelce] on Twitter. He never saw it until after I got drafted [to the Jets], when he was probably going to congratulate me on getting drafted and everything. I used to tell him, ‘Yeah, one day I’m going to be in the NFL like you.”
And by gosh, he is.
But not exactly like Kelce. They play “opposite” positions … though of course now both of them do that at an elite level – and both played college ball at Cincinnati, which is surely what part of the connection is really about.
“I used to just say little things like that whenever I would see him on social media,” Sauce recalled about his messages, “and I just remember he had hit me back.
“That was love.”
