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Chiefs Released Former First Round NFL Draft Pick On Monday

Originally posted on The Spun | By Andrew Gould | Last updated Dec 16, 2024 7:04 PM ET

The Kansas City Chiefs are parting ways with running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire.

Having yet to play this season, the 25-year-old posted what appears to be a farewell message to Chiefs fans on Monday. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero said the team waived Edwards-Helaire.

"Love ya KC! A family I didn’t know I needed, y’all made a Kid from Baton Rouge dreams come true!" Edwards-Helaire wrote. "To Chiefs Kingdom, it's all love, and the support I had in troubling times will forever be unmatched from you guys! With love!"

Edwards-Helaire won a national championship at LSU before Kansas City made him the No. 32 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He compiled 1,100 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns as a rookie and tallied 87 yards in a Super Bowl loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Injuries limited the 5-foot-7 back to 10 games played in each of the ensuing two seasons. His role diminished in 2023; Edwards-Helaire amassed 87 touches in 15 games.

KANSAS CITY, MO - DECEMBER 12: Clyde Edwards-Helaire #25 of the Kansas City Chiefs runs into the end zone during a second quarter touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders at Arrowhead Stadium on December 12, 2021 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)

Edwards-Helaire started the 2024 season on the non-football illness list. The 25-year-old said he was experiencing PTSD stemming in part from a harrowing situation in college. He was with a fellow LSU player who fatally shot someone trying to rob them.

"Living With PTSD is no small feat," Edwards-Helaire wrote on social media during the summer. "It's hard and very overwhelming. Within the last month I've had many flare-ups, and the amazing staff here at the Chiefs have been helping me get through some tough times."

The Chiefs activated Edwards-Helaire from the NRI list in October, but he hasn't played since logging four snaps in their Super Bowl win over the San Francisco 49ers. A returning Isiah Pacheco has returned to reclaim a heavy backfield role alongside veteran Kareem Hunt, who re-joined Kansas City earlier this season.

Kansas City ran for 132 yards in Sunday's 21-7 victory over the Cleveland Browns. The defending champions rank 28th in the NFL with 4.0 yards per carry but are 13-1 entering a Week 16 game against the Houston Texans this Saturday afternoon.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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