Chiefs Waive Former First-Round Running Back Clyde Edwards-Helaire

The Kansas City Chiefs have parted ways with running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire.

The Chiefs confirmed what Edwards-Helaire himself indicated shortly before the news was made official: the Chiefs are waiving Edwards-Helaire after five seasons with the team.

In a post on Twitter/X on Monday afternoon, Edwards-Helaire appeared to say goodbye to Kansas City:

Love ya KC! A family I didn’t know I needed, y’all made a Kid from Baton Rouge dreams come true!
To Chiefs Kingdom , its all love and the support I had in troubling times will forever be unmatched from you guys! With love! ❤️💛
-Clydro ✌🏽

Love ya KC! A family I didn’t know I needed, y’all made a Kid from Baton Rouge dreams come true!
To Chiefs Kingdom , its all love and the support I had in troubling times will forever be unmatched from you guys! With love! ❤️ 💛

-Clydro ✌🏾
— GLYDE (@Clydro_22) December 16, 2024

During training camp ahead of the 2024 season, Edwards-Helaire discussed his long-standing battle with post-traumatic stress disorder and the corresponding health challenges that come with it. Edwards-Helaire was placed on the non-football injury list in early September before returning in October. Since returning to the active roster, Edwards-Helaire maintained a roster spot but was never active on game day in 2024.

Edwards-Helaire, the No. 32 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, recorded 2,610 yards from scrimmage and 19 total touchdowns with the Chiefs, appearing in 48 games over five seasons with the team. Edwards-Helaire also played in eight playoff games, resulting in 263 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown.

As Edwards-Helaire battled injuries and underwhelming production, seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco took the helm as KC's top rusher in 2022. This season, following an injury to Pacheco, the Chiefs reunited with Kareem Hunt to bolster a running back room also featuring veteran third-down back Samaje Perine and undrafted rookie running back/fullback hybrid Carson Steele.

The Chiefs have running back Keaontay Ingram on the team's practice squad, but Edwards-Helaire's goodbye message doesn't sound like a player who has hopes of returning to a practice squad spot.

We have waived RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire. pic.twitter.com/0cu8ru5hGg
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) December 16, 2024

It's also worth noting that the Chiefs did not announce a corresponding roster move on Monday alongside Edwards-Helaire's departure. While it's not official, the timeline could work alongside an active roster return for wide receiver Marquise "Hollywood" Brown if the Chiefs have hopes of seeing Brown active on Saturday against the Houston Texans. Alternatively, Kansas City could be doing some other late-season roster adjusting, particularly as quarterback Patrick Mahomes deals with an ankle injury.

Read More: Patrick Mahomes Ankle News: Severity of Injury, Timeline to Return