Chiefs HC Andy Reid leaves the door open for reunion with a former player sometime in the future
The Kansas City Chiefs have a habit of bringing back former players, and coach Andy Reid left the door open for that to happen again down the line. On Monday the Chiefs released Clyde Edwards-Helaire after nearly five years with the team. He was their first-round draft pick back in 2020, and served as the primary starting […]
The Kansas City Chiefs have a habit of bringing back former players, and coach Andy Reid left the door open for that to happen again down the line.
On Monday the Chiefs released Clyde Edwards-Helaire after nearly five years with the team. He was their first-round draft pick back in 2020, and served as the primary starting running back until midway through the 2022 season. He then played second fiddle to Isiah Pacheco, and later also fell behind Jerick McKinnon on the depth chart.
Fast forward to training camp this past summer, Edwards-Helaire was mysteriously absent during the first couple of practices. However, he eventually revealed that he has been struggling with PTSD, and the Chiefs placed him on the Reserve/PUP list as they helped him deal with his trauma.
When Edwards-Helaire was returned to the team, he didn't make it back onto the field. While he certainly had his moments, unfortunately Edwards-Helaire's tenure with Kansas City will be remembered as a disappointing one overall. In 48 regular season games, he recorded 441 rushing attempts for 1,845 yards and 12 touchdowns, also catching 89 passes for 765 yards and seven touchdowns.
While speaking to the media about the open roster spot that the Chiefs currently have after releasing Edwards-Helaire, Reid expressed his appreciation for him and mentioned that he would welcome him back if the opportunity arises.
"You know, we released Clyde, so we have a spot available," Reid said. "We've got these injuries that we're juggling here. So, we just got to see how that goes before we move somebody up or down, or whatever [Chiefs GM Brett] Veach wants to do with that thing. But, we sure appreciate Clyde for all he did here. We'd love to get him back sometime too. What a great kid he is."
There isn't a lot of information available as to what Edwards-Helaire's mental or physical state is, or if he wishes to continue his NFL career. However, Reid certainly made it clear that he would be welcomed back with the Chiefs. With Kareem Hunt and Samaje Perine set to hit free agency in the offseason, K.C. will have decisions to make at the running back position behind Pacheco.
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