Chiefs center Creed Humphrey finds 'perfect namesake' at Kansas zoo

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The Rolling Hills Zoo in Salina, Kansas announced it named its newest baby rhino after Kansas City Chiefs center Creed Humphrey.

The zoo's executive director Ryan VanZant revealed the name of the baby rhino – who was born on Feb. 8, the day the Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 60 – in a press release.

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VanZant referred to Humphrey as "the perfect namesake" for the rhino because of his "strength, grit and Midwest roots."

"Creed is a name that represents power, determination, and heart – qualities we see not only in this incredible calf, but also in his namesake," VanZant said, per KSN.com. "We’re thrilled to celebrate this connection and share his story with our community – especially with Chiefs Kingdom."

Humphrey was originally selected by the Chiefs in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft after a standout college career at Oklahoma. He quickly blossomed into one of the NFL's top centers, never missing a start across his first five seasons while making four Pro Bowls and earning two All-Pro first team nods.

Humphrey graded as Pro Football Focus' No. 1 overall center for the 2025 season. He was also the highest-paid player at the position before Tyler Linderbaum signed a record deal with the Las Vegas Raiders during the 2026 NFL free agency.

Now, Humphrey has another "unique and amazing" honor to his name, which he now shares with the rhino calf.

"When I was approached with the idea of Rolling Hills Zoo naming a new rhino calf after me, it seemed to be such a unique and amazing opportunity," Humphrey said in the press release. "With white rhinos being an endangered species, to be able to visit and interact with Creed the rhino was incredible. I urge everyone to visit Rolling Hills Zoo because of their efforts in conservation and how interactive the entire zoo is."

Humphrey also got a chance to meet his namesake. The Rolling Hills Zoo posted photos of their meeting on social media.

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Humphrey isn't the first NFL player to have a rhinoceros named after him. ZooTampa named one of its rhinos after Rob Gronkowski, who spent two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and helped the team win Super Bowl 55.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kansas zoo names baby rhino after two-time Chiefs All-Pro

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