Travis Kelce had had high praises and endless support for his teammate Clyde Edwards-Helaire amid his battle with PTSD.
On Nov. 8, Edwards-Helaire appeared on The Pivot Podcast and told hosts Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor, and Channing Crowder about how his involvement in a 2018 shooting incident affected his personal life moving forward.
When the episode was released, Kelce, 35, shared a clip from the installment with high remarks for the 25-year-old running back.
‘GBC!! My good brotha for life! Y’all gotta tune into this one,’ Kelce wrote. ‘One of the strongest men I know!’
The incident occurred on Dec. 22, 2018, while he played college football for the LSU Tigers. He recalled that he and his best friend were in North Baton Rogue to sell a PlayStation console in what they thought was a routine exchange.
Travis Kelce called Clyde Edwards-Helaire the ‘one strongest men’ amid his PTSD battle
The former Tiger revealed he had a ‘bad feeling’ that morning but still accompanied his friend for the transaction.
‘The next thing I see is a gun towards Jared’s head,’ he said. ‘My only reaction was, you know, either I’m about to watch my best friend lose his life or do something about it.’
Edwards-Helaire also carried a firearm and took action. According to a report from the Associated Press, the athlete and his friend were deemed by authorities to be justified in the shooting – which resulted in a death – as they acted in self-defense.
‘I hope nobody ever has to go through the situation that I’ve been through,’ Edwards-Helaire added of the experience.
He added that the incident affected him physically, sharing he was only sleeping about three hours every night for the years that followed and was constantly vomiting. Edwards-Helaire also added that he was hospitalized several times for PTSD.
‘The only time that I would feel myself was when I was putting on a helmet,’ he added.
The 25-year-old running back was involved in a 2018 shooting incident while playing at LSU
Edwards-Helaire claimed that Kelce constantly checked on him and treated him like a brother
Edwards-Helaire was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs with the 32nd overall pick in 2020
When the hosts asked Edwards-Helaire if the NFL ‘superstars’ knew what he was dealing with, he noted the incredible support he received from Kelce.
‘The amount of time that I was spending with Travis was unreal,’ the two-time Super Bowl winner shared. ‘I really look at him as a big brother and I needed somebody to lean on.’
Edwards-Helaire was drafted by Kansas City with the 32nd pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He added that Kelce constantly reached out to check on him during his first year in the NFL.
He noted that the conversations were ‘more heartfelt than anything’ and added Kelce ‘Called me GBC — Good Brother Clyde.’
Edwards-Helaire also mentioned how Chiefs head coach Andy Reid urged him to take care of himself and encouraged him to take time off amid his healing journey.
‘I’m doing a lot better than I have been these past four years,’ Edwards-Helaire shared in the podcast. ‘Mentally, physically, everything is just on the up and up. I’d say I’m probably the healthiest I’ve been since I came into the league.’
