Chiefs HC Andy Reid confirms suspicion on controversial personnel decision made for matchup against Bills
True to form reasoning from Reid and the coaching staff.
The Kansas City Chiefs are getting back into the groove this week following their bye.
They’ll look to bounce back strong after losing to the Buffalo Bills 28-21 in Week 9. After a month of dominance, Kansas City’s offense took a step backward in that matchup, scoring on just four of nine possessions.
As they have for much of the season, the Chiefs struggled to run the ball against Buffalo. They only accumulated 79 yards on 20 carries. Starter Isiah Pacheco missed the game with a knee injury, leaving Kareem Hunt to carry most of the load. That left some fans frustrated, feeling as though there was a missed opportunity for someone new to prove themselves.
Chiefs HC Andy Reid explains decision to activate Clyde Edwards Helaire over Elijah Mitchell at RB
Many believed Mitchell would make his regular season debut with Pacheco out. Mitchell has been inactive for every game so far, and was leapfrogged by Edwards-Helaire against the Bills in Week 9. Reid’s explanation was what we’ve come to expect from him.
“We really like Elijah, obviously, or he wouldn’t be here,” Reid said. “I think that makes a big statement. But, Clyde knows all the protections. He knows all that. Not only does he know it, he’s done it, and we’ve seen him do it. There’s a comfort there. Not that Elijah doesn’t (know the protections) he’s a very sharp kid. We’ve just seen our guy (Edwards-Helaire) do it. That was the only reason why.”
Reid and his coaching staff have always valued familiarity, even at the expense of talent. They are comfortable with Edwards-Helaire, who played in Kansas City from 2020 until late in the 2024 season. Although he had some positive moments, Edwards-Helaire never came close to living up to his first-round draft pick status.
During the loss to Buffalo, he carried the ball twice for five yards. At the end of the day, Mitchell being activated over Edwards-Helaire probably wouldn’t have made a significant difference, but it may have been worth finding out for sure. Mitchell brings speed and receiving skills to the table, which K.C.’s backfield sorely needs more of.
Kansas City Chiefs News
Chiefs nearly got a big boost for their pass rush before deal fell apart at the trade deadline
The Kansas City Chiefs nearly acquired Seattle Seahawks linebacker Boye Mafe in a trade.
