The Kansas City Chiefs have released running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, in a move announced by the player on Monday afternoon.
Edwards-Helaire, a two-time Super Bowl champion with the team, announced the decision before the Chiefs could put out an official statement revealing the roster move.
‘Love ya KC! A family I didn’t know I needed, y’all made a kid from Baton Rouge dreams come true!,’ Edwards-Helaire posted to his X account.
‘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 had not played a single snap for the defending Super Bowl champions this season after being placed on the Reserve/Non-football illness (or NFI) lost before Week 1.
He was activated on October 15, but didn’t manage to break into the team’s depth chart at all.
Kansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire has said the team has released him
Edwards-Helaire was a star on one of the best college teams ever – the 2019 LSU Tigers
Edwards-Helaire (R) arrives at practice this past July with tight end Travis Kelce (L)
Edwards-Helaire was the final pick in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft after he was a part of arguably the greatest college football team of all time: the 2019 LSU Tigers. With LSU – which boasted the likes of Joe Burrow, Justin Jefferson, and Ja’Marr Chase among others that season- he won the 2019 National Championship game over Clemson.
In his first season with the Chiefs, Edwards-Helaire set career highs in rushing attempts, rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, receptions, and receiving yards. That season, he accomplished all of that while splitting carries with Le’Veon Bell.
But after that breakout campaign, he declined in both carries and yards year after year as the Chiefs considered other options in the backfield.
In 2021, his season was impacted by a knee injury sustained in Week 5 that kept him out for around a month.
The following season, more injuries and a lack of consistency led to a greater role for then-rookie Isiah Pacheco. He was placed on the IR, but was activated prior to Super Bowl LVII against the Philadelphia Eagles – which the team won without any contribution from Edwards-Helaire.
Kansas City declined a fifth-year option for Edwards-Helaire prior to the 2023 season, where he finished with 70 carries and 223 yards on the ground. He was a part of the team that won a second-straight title in Super Bowl LVIII against the San Francisco 49ers.
He re-signed with the team in the offseason, but did not make a single appearance in 2024 as he fell further and further down the depth chart. It’s unclear if he’ll sign with an NFL team and no squads have been directly linked to his services.
So far in his career, Edwards-Helaire has totaled 1,845 rushing yards, 12 rushing touchdowns, 765 receiving yards, and seven receiving touchdowns.
