Austin Ekeler

Always viewed as undersized and underestimated, Austin Ekeler went from hidden star in rural Colorado to a growing star running back with the Chargers.

“I don’t want to crash and burn and have everything crumble down,” he said. 30 “MAMA EK” jersey in the front row, unfurling the Ekeler flag and waiting to exchange knowing waves with her son after he trots onto the field for warmups. “It has to be something he believes in and truly supports. “Taco Bell’s my jam,” Ekeler said. She used to sit in a lower, corner section of SoFi Stadium, along with the families of other Chargers. “He was the guy here,” Bains said. And he usually was able to do it.” “You’d look down into this facility — it’s just massive — all the lights are on and there’s one guy in there. “He was dodging people just to take the handoff,” said McConnaughey, who now works for the Jacksonville Jaguars. McConnaughey recalled Bains describing Ekeler as “Woodhead 2.0.” “My bull-riding career lasted three bulls,” Ekeler said. “People would ask me if Austin was adopted,” Suzanne said.