The Rush: Austin Ekeler on Lamar vs. Mahomes, Twitch, and being really photogenic

The Kansas City Chiefs beat the Baltimore Ravens 34-20 on Monday Night Football and Patrick Mahomes’ mom wasn’t too thrilled about what ESPN was calling her son. Los Angeles Chargers RB Austin Ekeler also dropped by to discuss who between Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes would complement Ekeler’s game more, how Chargers rookie QB Justin Herbert is faring so far, and how Ekeler is so photogenic during the middle of a football game. PLUS: Austin has a Twitch channel where he’s giving away prizes and talking with fans on everything from fantasy football to videogames, so check it out!

Video Transcript

- Pat has to, basically, put that ball in Tyreek's hands, almost as if he walked up to and gave it to him. And that's exactly what he did.

JARED QUAY: Earlier, I got to chat with Chargers running back, Austin Ekeler. And we'll get to that. But let's talk about "Monday Night Football" first. The Chiefs squared off against the Ravens in what was billed as the game of the year.

And I don't know if the Ravens got that message because the Chiefs never really looked uncomfortable in their 34 to 20 victory. Damn, man, I've been rooting for the Ravens, and they lose, it hurts. When Pat Mahomes scores five total touchdowns, you're going to need a lot more than 20 points.

- Mahomes underneath shuffle to Anthony Sherman.

JARED QUAY: Even when one of those scores as a 93-yard touchdown return by Devin Duvernay.

- Should give the Ravens excellent starting field position down the sideline! Butler couldn't get him! All the way, Devin Duvernay!

JARED QUAY: Everyone was loving Mahomes on Twitter. But there was one fan who took issue with ESPN's broadcast team, Patrick Mahomes' mom, Randi. She called out ESPN on Twitter for calling her son, Pat.

It's Patrick, damn it. Pat's the name of Randi's husband and Patrick's dad. So don't you ever forget that, ESPN.

Oh, and Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup Finals. I know nobody really cares much about hockey. But we've got an editor named Kurty that loves the Lightning.

So congrats to you, Kurty. Congrats to the Lightning. Let's see what Austin Ekeler is talking about.

What's up, everybody? I'm joined by Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler. Austin, what is good, bro?

AUSTIN EKELER: What's up, Jared? Thanks for having me, man.

JARED QUAY: There was this tiny, small game that was played yesterday between the Chiefs and the Ravens. Obviously, there's a lot of star power there, especially at quarterback. And I want to ask you as a running back, just for your game, who do you feel like would complement your game better, Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson?

AUSTIN EKELER: I don't know. Because I feel like they have similar styles in a way. So like I'm pretty efficient when we get the ball in my hands, throwing me the ball. So I think Mahomes to get me the ball a little bit more than Lamar.

I feel like Lamar has a tendency to run, and go make stuff happen, you know, doing crazy jukes, breaking people down. Not saying Mahomes can't do that. But it's not on Lamar status, right? So I think I'd see the ball a little bit more from Mahomes, just chucking it down to me.

JARED QUAY: Yeah, and, you know, Lamar, you got to worry about him trying to get more rushing yards than you and whatnot.

AUSTIN EKELER: Right, man. Shoot, ran for 1,000.

JARED QUAY: [LAUGHS]

AUSTIN EKELER: Shoot, he had more than me last year, man. Made me feel bad, what the hell.

JARED QUAY: So you're in your fourth year. But the quarterback next to you is in his first year. How does it feel being a veteran with a rookie quarterback like Justin Herbert?

Does it feel like he's a rookie? Is he commanding the huddle? How is it?

AUSTIN EKELER: When we get out there, the field, it doesn't matter, you're a rookie 10-year, you got to play, right? So he's been taking control. I've been seeing some veteran moves out of him, which I'm really proud of him just throwing, and just short notice, not even knowing that he was going to start, especially last week.

And I'm excited. We see him developing as a player. And he's throwing me the ball too, so I love that. [LAUGHS]

JARED QUAY: All right, besides being a full-time professional running back, you also spend your time on the sticks, man. You got-- you've got a huge Twitch channel. And you're creating dope content for your audience. And so I know that's a little bit of a younger crowd, right?

AUSTIN EKELER: You know, I would say I have a range probably between like 13 and probably like 40, 50. Like I had everybody in between there, right. It's a lot of people coming for video games, for giveaways, for, you know, just content, just to see an NFL player, you know, streaming. So, yeah, I stream on Twitch @AustinEkeler, if you want to look it up. But I do-- I just wanted to start that just to give an interaction between, you know, fans and just me.

So, actually, today, I have one of my bigger giveaways. So every time I hit another 1,000 followers, I do a major giveaway. And I just hit 8,000 followers. And through the revenue from Twitch, you know, I give all the money I make back in Twitch, I give it back to the community.

So there's a massive giveaway tonight. And then that's at 6:30 Pacific time. So make sure you drop in there and get yourself a chance to get something.

JARED QUAY: How are you so photogenic on the field? Do you know they taking pictures?

AUSTIN EKELER: [LAUGHS] I don't know. I just-- it's, actually, something that's followed me from my youth. I used to have this lady, a family friend, she always would take a picture, like take pictures of me in athletics. And she would say, you're just the best to take pictures because you're always doing something like strange, like in some position, or some just pose, where it's like, wow, that's an amazing picture.

JARED QUAY: Everybody else's face is like this.

AUSTIN EKELER: Right.

JARED QUAY: And you over there smiling, looking like you on "GQ."

AUSTIN EKELER: Yeah, like I'm posing. Like, OK, right now.

JARED QUAY: Well, look here, man. Thank you for Rushing with me today. I appreciate it, man.

Keep winning people with that fantasy game. And, definitely, if you're watching this, tune into his Twitch stream. Man, somebody got to get it. I could be you.

AUSTIN EKELER: That's right. That's right. I appreciate it, man.