After spending much of his rookie season learning on the fly, Kansas City Chiefs fullback Carson Steele is entering Year 2 of training camp with a renewed sense of confidence.

“It’s been great,” Steele told reporters this week. “[I’m] coming back for Year 2 stronger, better, and faster. I have a little bit more development into the offense, so it’s really helped me progress from there.”

As a rookie last season, the former UCLA running back served in a utility role for the Chiefs, stepping in wherever the team needed him. But he was given his first real opportunity on offense in Week 3 against the Atlanta Falcons, when he earned his first NFL start in place of the injured Isiah Pacheco. While Steele recorded 17 carries for 72 yards, Kareem Hunt’s arrival returned Steele to his utility role.

He finished the regular season with 56 carries for 183 rushing yards and added seven receptions for 26 yards. On special teams, he returned five kickoffs for 138 yards and recorded three tackles.

Steele has now focused on becoming even more versatile, embracing his responsibilities as a fullback and special teams contributor while maintaining a role as a reserve running back.

“I talked about it last year,” he recalled. “Just being a Swiss Army knife and doing everything. But [I’m] taking that to the next step this year.”

Steele chose to devote much of his offseason work to preparing for these roles, recognizing the value it could add to head coach Andy Reid’s offense.

“I would assume that’s something he probably wants me to do, blocking-wise,” he explained. “I never did that in college. I’ve done a little bit of blocking from that fullback-running back spot, but never truly done it.”

In his second training camp, Steele no longer feels overwhelmed by the moment. As a rookie, simply being on the field with the team’s superstars was enough to make him nervous.

“The jitters are a little bit down this year,” he admitted. “Last year, [I was] coming into a football team who just won [the Super Bowl] — and Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes [were] in the same huddle, working with [me]. So being able to calm down a little bit — and listen to the whole play — this year, it’s really helped me.”

Now that he’s seeing the game with more clarity and confidence, Steele is no longer focused just on executing his assignment. He’s becoming more aware of what’s happening around him, helping him respond decisively in real time.

“Last year, I was just trying to get the play down — hurrying out to the outside, inside, or wherever,” he remembered. “Now I’m able to read the defense a little bit more. Getting more knowledge of that has helped me slow things down.”

When the team takes the field for Kansas City’s exhibition opener against the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night, Steele is hoping to make another positive impression — just like he did as one of 2024’s preseason standouts.

“[I’ll be] doing everything,” he said. “A big special teams role; we’ve talked about that. I’m not for sure [that] fullback stuff is coming in or not, but running back stuff — and just doing whatever I can do to really support the team. And hopefully win.”