Chase Claypool on His Rookie Rise and Super Bowl LV Predictions

Liam Fox
·4 min read
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Image via Complex Original/Kagan McLeod

Chase Claypool was a performer on the field this season and an effortless star off it.

The Abbotsford native exploded onto the NFL scene as a rookie with the Steelers, leading all first-year players this year with nine receiving touchdowns and helping Pittsburgh win their division title. He became the first wide receiver since 1960, and only the fourth in league history, to score 10 touchdowns in his first 10 games. After just one professional season, the man lovingly nicknamed Mapletron has established himself as the figurehead for modern Canadian football and his highlight-reel plays just earned him a partnership with Jordan Brand.

Claypool has a fresh perspective as he is exiting year one and looking towards year two. He caught up with Complex Canada from his B.C. home to share his thoughts on Super Bowl LV, what he learned this season, how he expresses himself off the field, and much more.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Who do you think is going to win Super Bowl LV and what aspect of the game are you most looking forward to?
I keep saying to all of my friends that I think the Chiefs are going to win but I think the Bucs are going to make it obviously pretty tough. I don’t think [Tom] Brady has ever really been blown out in a Super Bowl. I am looking forward to see how he performs.

If you had your choice, would you rather catch passes from Patrick Mahomes or Tom Brady?
Probably Tom Brady because of the resume that he built for himself. He only has a few years [left]. Maybe I can catch passes from Tom Brady and then Patrick Mahomes as well down the road. Because I know Patrick Mahomes is going to have a long career.

I know that you like to be very active off the field in different areas. Between streaming on Twitch, your YouTube channel, various media involvements like with DAZN, what interests you about expressing yourself in so many different ways?
I think I’m on this platform and this pedestal in terms of the NFL and feel like it would be silly not to fully utilize it. I want people to know who I am as a person, not just a football player. Because they see me every Sunday on the football field, but they don’t see … what it’s like the other six days of the week.

I see that fashion-wise, you like to mix it up a little bit with your gameday fits and that BlitzFits ranked you among the top rookies for that. How would you describe your sense of style?
I teamed up with my friend from just down the street here (B.C.’s Joe Kuma). We put together some pretty good fits. I just think it’s another way to express yourself outside of the football field. What you where, your style, I think can say a lot about yourself.

You were speaking about the different things you are going to do to train better and treat your body better this season. Seeing Tom Brady make it to another Super Bowl this year at age 43, does that get you thinking at all about what you’re going to have to do to have a lengthy career?
Yeah definitely. I think seeing how long he has played and hearing about just how much he takes care of his body just reemphasizes and reinforces what I already thought. The best ability is availability. Just being able to stay healthy … Obviously some injuries are going to come about that you can’t control, but trying to prevent those injuries as much as we can.

If we talk a year from now. What is the story of Chase Claypool going to be following the 2021 season?
I just think it’s going to be a big improvement from the previous year and making an impact as hopefully a top receiver in the NFL. Showing the maturity and the growth that has come following year one.

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