Super Bowl LVII: Chenal goes from Badgers to Chiefs, getting special opportunity as rookie

PHOENIX, Ari. (WBAY) - Imagine being a rookie and getting to play on the big Super Bowl stage. That’s the scenario for former Badger linebacker Leo Chenal. He’s a rookie for the Chiefs. And while he doesn’t play a starring role, he is here and looking to cap one heck of a rookie season.

“I am so blessed,” Chenal said. “I can’t say that enough. It’s such a blessing. A lot of guys go their entire career, 10-15 years without going to one of these and I get it in my first year. So I am just trying to be in the moment right now. Sam linebacker is definitely a new position, getting up on the line like that. Taking on blocks at the line of scrimmage is definitely different. I think there has been improvement.”

In high school, Chenal was the WFCA both offensiive and defense player of the year at the small school level. He shown brightly in high school at Grantsburg, he showed up for the Badgers, and is now looking to show up in the Super Bowl.

So what would he tell the teenage version of himself?

“I mean just take everything day by day,” Chenal said. “Treat every day kind of like it’s your last. Put in the work even when you don’t want to. Ask questions from everybody. You are never going to know it all. So have that humility. Never doubt yourself. I sometimes doubted myself in high school, especially coming from a small town. I had dreams of going to the NFL, but I never really thought it was possible. So never doubt yourself. Love what you do. If you love what you do, you will never question if you should show up and work each day.”