For his first NFL game with an actual audience, former Abbotsford football star and 91原创 resident Chase Claypool turned on the afterburners to run in four touchdowns for the Pittsburgh Steelers en route to a 38-29 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Oct. 11 at Heinz Field.
Claypool, a former Abbotsford football star, became the First Canadian-born player in NFL history and the first rookie in Steelers history to score four touchdowns in a game as well as the first Steeler, novice or veteran, to hit that mark since 1968.
He was named AFC offensive player of the week.
For the first Steelers game where fans were allowed to attend during the COVID-19 pandemic, attendance was limited to just 4,708, in a stadium with an official capacity of 68,400. Those who attended got loud, thanks to the 鈥�7-11鈥� team of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, number 7, and Claypool, number 11.
Just the beginning 馃挭
鈥� Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers)
馃摵 FOX 馃摫
It was, the Steelers said, an example of Claypool鈥檚 ability to adjust on the fly and do things he hadn鈥檛 been asked to do previously.
That talent was on display when Roethlisberger completed a third-and-8 pass that became the game-clinching, 35-yard touchdown with 2:59 left in regulation.
鈥淚 think the coolest part about the whole thing is, we鈥檝e never run the play I called with that formation, or that group on the field,鈥� Roethlisberger explained.
鈥滻 can鈥檛 say enough about Chase getting down the middle of the field and kind of making that play for us.鈥�
READ ALSO: VIDEO: Virtual version of Chase Claypool misses the mark
Roethlisberger told that he gave Claypool 鈥渁 little bit of a cue鈥� about the change-up but Claypool characterized the pair鈥檚 pre-snap communication as more involved.
鈥淚 actually had to ask him what I was doing,鈥� Claypool related. 鈥淗e just told me. He kinda told the whole defense, which is my fault, but it worked out.鈥�
Claypool now has 20 catches for 261 yards and four touchdowns for the undefeated Steelers.
He grew up playing in Abbotsford and calls 91原创 home, beginning his football career with Abbotsford Panthers where he led the club to a provincial final game in 2015 and was named the AA football player of the year that season.
Then, playing for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Claypool was that team鈥檚 leading receiver in 2019 with 66 catches for 1,037 yards and 13 TDs.
Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly took to social media to praise Claypool following Sunday鈥檚 game, calling his performance 鈥渋mpressive.鈥�
Claypool immediately responded with a 鈥渢hank you, coach.鈥�
Thank you Coach!! 鈽橈笍馃挌
鈥� Chase Claypool (@ChaseClaypool)
On April 23, he was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the NFL draft, the 17th player taken in the round, 49th overall.
READ ALSO: How 91原创 football star Chase Claypool was nicknamed 鈥淢apletron鈥�
Steelers fans recently voted to give Claypool 鈥淢apletron鈥� as his nickname, after Calvin Johnson Jr., the legendary Detroit Lions wide receiver known as 鈥淢egatron鈥� after the Transformers character.
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