The Leipzig Kings have announced that they have signed American running back Steve McShane ahead of the 2023 European League of Football season.
Originally from Freeport, Illinois, McShane played collegiately for the Western Illinois University Leathernecks at the Division I FCS level from 2015-2018. He was an impact player on the team for four years there, amassing 2,375 rushing yards and 22 rushing touchdowns, as well as 1,031 receiving yards and nine receiving touchdowns over the course of his collegiate career. He also demonstrated prowess in the return game, as he was able to return a pair of punts back for touchdowns for the Leathernecks. While at Western Illinois, McShane also played on the school’s baseball team, as he was a standout player on the diamond as well. Not only did he pull off the rare feat of being a dual sport athlete at the collegiate level, but he also managed to excel in both sports, as he received all-conference honors in both football and baseball.
After graduating, McShane earned an invitation to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ minicamp in the spring of 2019. He was not able to latch on to the roster, though, and signed with Houston Roughnecks of the XFL in December 2019. Unfortunately, his season ended before it even began, as he suffered a torn Achilles tendon early in training camp.
Though undersized at 5’8” and 185 pounds, McShane has proven himself to be an explosive athlete who can bolster a team’s offense. After a 4-8 season last year, the Kings are hoping the additions of McShane and quarterback Kenyatte Allen will provide a spark to an offense that ranked in the bottom half of most statistical categories last season. Furthermore, it is likely that the team will use McShane in the return game, so they expect him to make some game-changing plays in that area.
