KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) — Kansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire has embarked on a new journey this season in his time off the field.
When he’s not training to run from (or through) defenders, Edwards-Helaire is learning how to be a nurse and care for others.
“So now I’m back at school, rolling,” Edwards-Helaire said.
Edwards-Helaire began college heading down the path of sports science. He considered majoring in kinesiology or a career as a physical therapist. On his old LSU roster page, his major is listed as sports administration.
But with his mom being a nurse and his sister born with muscular dystrophy, this new career path is significant to him.
“It’s close to my heart,” he said.
Edwards-Helaire’s football career path has also been a factor in this decision.
After collecting over 1,000 yards from scrimmage in his rookie season and over 600 total yards in his second, the Baton Rouge native didn’t play in the last 10 games of the 2022 season, including being a healthy scratch for Super Bowl LVII.
The Chiefs also declined his fifth-year option as a former 2020 first-round pick.
This season, Edwards-Helaire has performed well when Isiah Pacheco, the starting running back, has been out. He recorded 101 yards on 17 touches and a receiving touchdown against the New England Patriots in Week 15.
Edwards-Helaire’s lack of play helped him decide to start school even though the scheduling is pretty difficult.
“Wasn’t playing that much and wasn’t doing anything, so I was like, ‘Cool, I’m going to start school,'” he said. “It’s kind of enjoyable because it kind of feels like college.”
“I’m not doing anything else but you know, leaving work and then going to do school stuff. So you know, shout out to my fiancée. She’s kind of helping me with the scheduling ordeal, and all that’s been a headache.”
The Chiefs face the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs on Sunday. In the frigid Buffalo temperatures, Pacheco and Edwards-Helaire will be crucial in the anticipated matchup.
The shelf life of a running back can be short in the NFL, and with free agency on the horizon with less-than-stellar numbers, Edwards-Helaire could be out of the league by this time next year, even as coaches and players rave about his off-field demeanor and how much he means to his teammates.
With a head start on his next career, Edwards-Helaire is hoping to put himself on a great path to a successful life, with or without football.
“Football is football, but I know, for my profession, what I want to do for the rest of my life,” he said.