Clyde Edwards-Helaire Bio
Clyde Edwards-Helaire is an American professional football running back for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the LSU Tigers and was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft. He is a two-time Super Bowl champion, having been part of Kansas City title runs in Super Bowl LVII and Super Bowl LVIII.
Standing 5 feet 7 inches tall and listed at 207 pounds, Edwards-Helaire built his reputation as a compact, shifty back with reliable hands out of the backfield. His career has spanned stints with the Kansas City Chiefs, the New Orleans Saints, and a return to the Chiefs, establishing him as a familiar presence in the league’s running back room throughout the 2020s.
Early Life and Background
Clyde Edwards-Helaire was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on April 11, 1999. He grew up immersed in a strong football culture, and that environment helped shape his early love for the sport. He attended Catholic High School in Baton Rouge, where he quickly made an impression on the football program.
As a freshman, Edwards-Helaire became the first player in then-head coach Dale Weiner’s 29-year tenure to play on the varsity football team as a freshman. In addition to football, he also competed in track and field, showing the kind of athletic versatility that would later define his game. As a senior, he rushed 58 times for 496 yards and 10 touchdowns and was named the MVP of the 5A State Championship Game after catching eight passes for 161 yards and rushing for 88 yards and a touchdown in a 31-28 victory over Archbishop Rummel High School.
Rated a four-star recruit, Edwards-Helaire committed to play college football for the LSU Tigers. His combination of quickness, balance, and receiving ability made him a sought-after prospect, and his senior season performance gave him a strong foundation before arriving in the Southeastern Conference.
Path to American Football
Edwards-Helaire’s path to professional American football ran through one of the most powerful programs in the country. After a decorated high school career, he joined the LSU Tigers in 2017 and worked his way up the depth chart over three seasons. His development as a freshman and sophomore gave him valuable experience on special teams and in a supporting offensive role.
As a sophomore, he finished second on the team with 658 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, adding 11 receptions for 96 yards and 17 kick returns for 416 yards. He recorded his first 100-yard college game in a 38-21 win over Louisiana Tech, gaining 136 yards with two touchdowns on 20 carries, and added 145 rushing yards in a 36-16 victory over second-ranked Georgia. Those performances signaled his emergence as a feature back.
Heading into his junior season, Edwards-Helaire was named LSU’s starting running back and appeared on the watchlists for the Maxwell and Paul Hornung Awards. His production that year, paired with LSU’s run to the College Football Playoff National Championship, positioned him as a top NFL prospect heading into the 2020 draft.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire Career
Early Career (2017-2019)
At LSU, Edwards-Helaire played in all 13 games as a true freshman, mostly on special teams, rushing nine times for 31 yards. The experience was limited in volume but valuable in preparing him for a larger role. By his sophomore year, he had grown into one of the team’s most reliable offensive weapons.
His junior season proved to be his breakout. Edwards-Helaire played a major role in LSU’s win over third-ranked Alabama, rushing for 103 yards and three touchdowns and catching nine passes for 77 yards and a touchdown in the 46-41 victory, earning SEC co-Offensive Player of the Week honors alongside LSU quarterback Joe Burrow. He finished the regular season with 1,414 rushing yards, 16 rushing touchdowns on 215 carries, 453 receiving yards and a touchdown on 55 receptions, and 16 kick returns for 214 yards. He was a consensus first-team All-SEC selection and an SEC coaches’ second-team all-purpose pick, and the only SEC running back named a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award. After the 2019 Peach Bowl and the 2020 National Championship Game, where he rushed 16 times for 110 yards and caught five passes for 54 yards in a 42-25 win over third-ranked Clemson, he announced he would forgo his senior season to enter the 2020 NFL draft.
Kansas City Chiefs Breakthrough (2020-2021)
Edwards-Helaire was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs with the 32nd overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. He made his debut in Week 1 as the starting running back after Damien Williams opted out of the 2020 season. In his first career start, he rushed 25 times for 138 yards and scored a rushing touchdown in a 34-20 victory over the Houston Texans. At 21 years of age, he became the youngest player in NFL history to rush for at least 130 yards and a touchdown in an NFL debut.
He added a 161-yard rushing performance on 26 carries in a Week 6 victory over the Buffalo Bills, and scored two rushing touchdowns in a Week 11 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. A hip and ankle injury in Week 15 ended his rookie regular season, and he finished the year with 181 carries for 803 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns, plus 36 receptions for 297 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown. He scored a rushing touchdown in the AFC Championship win over the Bills, and added nine carries for 64 yards and two catches for 23 yards in Super Bowl LV against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In 2021, Edwards-Helaire opened with consecutive 100-yard rushing games in Weeks 3 and 4 before a knee injury sent him to injured reserve in October. He returned in November and finished the season with 119 carries for 517 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns, plus 19 receptions for 129 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns across 10 games.
Later Chiefs Years and Saints Stint (2022-2025)
A lack of consistent production and injuries cost Edwards-Helaire his starting job to rookie seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco in 2022, and he spent time on injured reserve before being activated in February 2023. He was inactive for Super Bowl LVII, which the Chiefs won against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Chiefs declined his 2024 fifth-year option in May 2023, and he finished that season with 223 rushing yards on 70 carries, while the team went on to win Super Bowl LVIII over the San Francisco 49ers.
He re-signed with the Chiefs in April 2024 and was placed on the Reserve/Non-football illness list before Week 1. After being activated in mid-October, he was released in mid-December. Edwards-Helaire signed with the New Orleans Saints practice squad in December 2024, was elevated for a Week 17 game against the Las Vegas Raiders, and re-signed with the Saints on a one-year contract in February 2025. He was released as part of final roster cuts in late August 2025, and signed back to the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad two days later.
Driving Style and Strengths
Edwards-Helaire’s game is built on vision, balance, and reliable hands rather than top-end speed. He excels at finding cutback lanes, absorbing contact in tight spaces, and turning short passes into productive gains as a receiver out of the backfield. His track-and-field background shows up in his footwork and body control through the line of scrimmage, while his experience in pass protection and special teams gives him a complete running back profile.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the signature moments of Edwards-Helaire’s career is his record-setting NFL debut in 2020, when he became the youngest player in league history to rush for at least 130 yards and a touchdown. He is also a two-time Super Bowl champion with the Chiefs and a College Football Playoff national champion with LSU. He received a heroism award from the Uvalde Foundation for Kids after shielding a teenager from gunfire during the Super Bowl LVIII parade shooting.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire Career Wins
Edwards-Helaire’s trophy case includes a pair of Super Bowl rings with the Kansas City Chiefs, in addition to the College Football Playoff national championship he won with LSU. His Super Bowl appearances came as part of one of the most successful stretches in recent Chiefs history, while his college résumé featured first-team All-SEC recognition.
Kansas City Chiefs Highlights
With the Chiefs, Edwards-Helaire contributed to back-to-back Super Bowl championships in Super Bowl LVII and Super Bowl LVIII. His biggest individual moment came in his NFL debut, when he set a record as the youngest player in league history to rush for at least 130 yards and a touchdown. He later added a 161-yard rushing game against the Buffalo Bills and a two-touchdown performance against the Las Vegas Raiders as a rookie.
Other Wins and Performances
At LSU, Edwards-Helaire was a consensus first-team All-SEC selection and an SEC coaches’ second-team all-purpose performer in 2019, and he helped lead the Tigers to the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship. He was also named MVP of the Louisiana 5A State Championship Game during his senior season at Catholic High School in Baton Rouge.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Edwards-Helaire’s surname combines his biological father’s name, Edwards, with his stepfather’s name, Helaire. He legally had the hyphenated name changed after meeting with an attorney at fourteen years old, keeping his biological father’s last name out of respect while honoring his stepfather for his presence during his upbringing.
Personal Life
Edwards-Helaire’s sister Madee has a form of muscular dystrophy and has appeared on the MDA Kevin Hart Kids Telethon. In December 2018, Edwards-Helaire was involved in a fatal self-defense shooting in Scotlandville, Louisiana, during an arranged electronics sale that turned into a robbery attempt. The experience led to a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder, and he has been open about how it has occasionally caused him to miss practice and other commitments.
2025 Season Performance
Edwards-Helaire’s 2025 season began with a fresh opportunity in New Orleans, where he re-signed with the Saints on a one-year contract in February. He was released as part of final roster cuts in late August, ending his second stint with the club after a brief elevation late in the previous season.
Two days after his release, he returned to a familiar home, signing with the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad on August 28, 2025. That move positioned him to compete for a depth role in a backfield led by Isiah Pacheco, with the Chiefs aiming to extend their run of playoff contention.
For Edwards-Helaire, the 2025 outlook centers on persistence, with a chance to push for an active roster spot and contribute in a specialized role as a pass-catching and pass-protecting back. His familiarity with the Chiefs’ offensive system, paired with his experience in high-pressure games, makes him a steady veteran presence heading into the rest of the season.
