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    • Crocky J, Chiefs RB Carson Steele’s alligator, lives in Indiana
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    Crocky J, Chiefs RB Carson Steele’s alligator, lives in Indiana

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    So it was only logical that Carson Steele and Crocky-J made their NFL debut together.

    Steele was 6 years old and missing both of his front teeth when Crocky-J arrived at her doorstep on Christmas Eve as a gift from “Santa.” Angela Steele had her suspicions when she saw her husband, Joe, and his coworker follow the UPS delivery man—carrying a box labeled “Live reptile: this ends up”—from the sidewalk to the door.

    “I have to see this,” said the UPS delivery man. A baby pygmy alligator, soon to be named Crocky-J, wriggled out of the burlap sack and sprinted down the hall as an excited Carson looked on.

    “He’s loved Crocky-J ever since,” said Angela Steele.

    Thus began the legend of Crocky-J, Steele’s now 15-year-old, 5-foot, 100-pound pet. When Steele made his NFL debut for the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night against the Baltimore Ravens, the NBC audience was introduced to the former Center Grove star and 2020 IndyStar Mr. Football. The undrafted Steele was the first Chief to touch the ball, returning a kickoff for 28 yards and carrying the ball twice for three yards.

    “It’s surreal,” said Angela Steele, who was in Kansas City with Joe to watch Thursday’s game. “I watched the Super Bowl, I watched Taylor Swift, and now he’s here. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect it. But it’s just a dream, a rollercoaster from the draft to the Chiefs. But he works so hard. He’s probably the hardest-working person I know.”

    Steele’s story, from Center Grove to Ball State to UCLA to undrafted free agent to taking handoffs from Patrick Mahomes as a rookie in the NFL, is astonishing enough. But back home in Greenwood, an even bigger TV star was beginning to emerge, though he probably didn’t know it: Crocky-J Steele.

    Steele’s older sister, 25-year-old Kesslar Steele, sat in as the gator during the Chiefs-Ravens game. “I always get that job,” she said with a laugh. While Joe and Carson pet him and Joe has been known to sing to him, Kesslar is content to set the water temperature for him — which changes from day to night — and feed him his gator chow.

    “It’s pretty easy,” Kesslar said. “He’s a pretty tame alligator. I probably don’t get to spend as much time with him as Carson does. But I don’t mind taking care of him.”

    Kesslar watched the game on NBC on Thursday with a mixture of pride for her brother and amazement that Crocky-J’s story had become such a success.

    “I’m just so proud of him,” she said of Carson. “I knew that was always his dream. People asked him what he wanted to do when he grew up and he said, ‘Play in the NFL.’ And they said, ‘But what else do you want to do?’ That was always the goal he was trying to achieve.”

    Angela said she had 42 texts that she hadn’t even opened as of Friday afternoon. Most of them were probably about Carson. But probably also about Crocky-J, after Steele was seen on NBC with his pet.

    “Joe was always the crazy pet giver,” Angela said. “My rule was always ‘no snakes.’ So he had to get creative and order an alligator online from the Everglades.”

    More about Crocky J: Carson Steele’s pet alligator named Crocky J during Kansas Chiefs vs Baltimore Ravens

    Angela said the Steeles have a permit for Crocky-J through the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Neighbors are aware of Crocky-J, who spends all of his time indoors. With Carson, 21, busy building his NFL career, his pet alligator is content to stay home in Indiana for now.

    “I was shocked when I saw him on Christmas Eve,” Angela said. “I could have dropped to the ground when I saw him. I didn’t see myself with an alligator – not a single piece. Mrs. Claus wasn’t happy about it. But now he’s part of the family.”

    Kesslar Steele will likely have a few more gator-sitting duties on her plate this NFL season. Pygmy alligators can live up to 50 or 60 years in captivity, meaning Crocky-J’s story could have some spice for a long time to come.

    “We joke that he will probably outlive us,” Kesslar said.

    Crocky-J’s story is just one part of Steele’s rise. Tight end Travis Kelce said on his pre-game podcast that Steele is “a little bit more than a fullback.”

    The Most Interesting Man in College Football Carson Steele Abandons Pet Alligator in Indiana

    “He’s athletic and can do some things with the ball in his hands,” Kelce said. “Plus, he’s a special teams guy. An ‘all you need coach’ type of guy.”

    According to Angela, this is an accurate assessment of Carson’s view of his role.

    “He wants to be a Swiss Army knife,” she said. “Do whatever they want him to do. He loves his teammates. And as a parent, that makes you happy.”

    Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.

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