Chiefs’ Michael Burton gets two career firsts on KC’s opening drive against Chargers
Fullback Michael Burton introduced himself to casual Chiefs fans and most NFL viewers on Thursday night.
Burton had a few firsts during the Chiefs’ 34-28 overtime victory on “Thursday Night Football” against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium.
On the Chiefs’ opening drive, Burton gained 20 yards on a screen pass, which was a career-long reception, the team noted.
Burton then capped the drive as he bulled his way into the end zone on a 7-yard touchdown run for his first career rushing score.
Chiefs fans were sad to see fullback Anthony Sherman retire after last season. Known as “The Sausage,” Sherman was with the Chiefs from 2013-20.
Burton has been mostly quiet as he filled Sherman’s shoes this season. In 12 games, he had five carries for 15 yards and one reception that went for 11 yards.
While Burton, 29, is new to the Chiefs, he’s been in the NFL since being drafted by the Lions in 2015. After two seasons with the Bears, he went to Washington for a year, then played for the Saints last season.
Entering Thursday, Burton had appeared in 92 career games, but he finally found the end zone on a run for the Chiefs in a nationally-televised game.
After signing with the Chiefs, Burton explained why he chose Kansas City.
“There’s a few things. I think opportunity and scheme,” Burton said in April. “The opportunity to play for a great head coach and a great organization, a winning team, a team that’s expectations are Super Bowl. I think that’s hard to say in this league that each year you have a very, very good chance of going to the Super Bowl, and I think that was really important.
“And again scheme-wise, I touched on it a little bit, Coach Reid has always carried a fullback, even since his days in Philadelphia. He’s always had one, evidence of Anthony Sherman being here for eight years in a row. So, between the opportunity of being part of a winning organization and scheme fit, I thought it was a really good opportunity for me.”
This story was originally published December 16, 2021 at 8:20 PM.
