Year after year, players make their exits from NFL franchises. Either with fanfare for a storied career, or just another blip on the transaction list. However, sometimes there are players that bridge this gap. Such is the case for Clyde Edwards-Helaire.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire joined the Chiefs as a first-round pick (#32) out of LSU.
A multi-faceted player in college, Edwards-Helaire rushed for 1,414 yards and added another 453 in the passing game as a junior en route to a national championship with Joe Burrow and Co. Much was expected from the young rookie, joining a Chiefs team that hadn’t enjoyed running back success since Kareem Hunt’s release two seasons earlier (and hadn’t had a reliable receiving back since his departure either).
In came Edwards-Helaire, who, in his rookie season, amassed 1,000 yards from scrimmage (803 on the ground, 297 through the air). Looking like a dependable #1 option in his first year, there was hesitant optimism for Edwards-Helaire’s sophomore season. However, that would mark the beginning of the end of Edwards-Helaire’s time in KC.
Edwards-Helaire had back-to-back 100-yard games in Weeks 3 and 4, giving him a solid start on the year. Unfortunately, he suffered a knee injury in Week 5 and was placed on IR. In 2021, CEH was limited to just 10 games, during which he posted 517 rushing yards and 129 receiving yards.
Edwards-Helaire leaves behind a complicated run with the Kansas City Chiefs.
In 2022, Edwards-Helaire took a clear back seat in the Chiefs’ offense, ceding much of his workload to rookie 7th-rounder Isiah Pacheco. Still a quality backup, CEH saw less playing time throughout 2022, culminating in a Super Bowl championship victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.
The on-field production issues, coupled with off-the-field circumstances outside of Edwards-Helaire’s control, contributed to the Chiefs declining his 5th-year option to start the 2023 season. That year, CEH served as a backup to Pacheco on the Chiefs’ running back depth chart and helped the team capture back-to-back titles, defeating the 49ers.
At the start of the 2024 season, the Chiefs placed Edwards-Helaire on the team’s Non-Football Illness (NFI) list before Week 1. While dealing with off-the-field problems, Edwards-Helaire has become a model for PTSD awareness and emotional vulnerability in professional sports. Although Edwards-Helaire is sometimes labeled as a “draft bust,” he should be revered in Chiefs Kingdom for his ability to be open and honest about his struggles.
Now that Edwards-Helaire is a member of the New Orleans Saints practice squad, we here at Arrowhead Addict speak for the rest of the Kingdom in rooting for his future success.
