Chiefs Waive Former First-Round Pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire

Clyde Edwards-Helaire with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2020.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2020. Photo by Mike Buscher/Cal Sport Media/CSM/Shutterstock (10793858n)

The Kansas City Chiefs have waived running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, their first-round pick from 2020. The team officially announced the move on Monday.

Edwards-Helaire will leave Kansas City without playing a single snap in 2024. He started the campaign on the non-football injury list before being activated in October.

Even before the Chiefs confirmed the move, Edwards-Helaire said his goodbye to the franchise on social media.

“Love ya KC! A family I didn’t know I needed, y’all made a Kid from Baton Rouge dreams come true!,” Edwards-Helaire wrote on X (former Twitter). “To Chiefs Kingdom , its all love and the support I had in troubling times will forever be unmatched from you guys! With love!”

The Chiefs likely released Edwards-Helaire because he fell down the depth chart and was considered the team’s fifth-best back. Another thing that might have influenced the move is the team’s need for a roster spot due to the upcoming return of wideout Marquise “Hollywood” Brown from injury.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire had his best season in the NFL as a rookie, rushing for 803 yards and four touchdowns while adding 36 catches for 297 and a touchdown. After a promising first year as a pro, Edwards-Helaire battled with inconsistency and injuries in his sophomore year, which caused him to lose his starting job.

In his first four seasons in the NFL, Edwards-Helaire rushed for 1,845 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also had 89 receptions for 765 yards and seven TDs.