Does Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s Super Bowl Practice Reveal KC Chiefs’ Plan For His Future?

Clyde Edwards-Helaire detailed his practices during Super Bowl LVII week, which could say something about the Kansas City Chiefs' ideal role for him.

The Kansas City Chiefs' running back room took a very defined form down the stretch of the 2022-23 NFL season. 2020 first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire wasn't a huge part of that development on the field, but his third year being tumultuous did directly impact the roles of Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon as the team's playoff run drew near and unfolded. 

When Edwards-Helaire suffered a high-ankle sprain during the Chiefs' Week 11 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, it ended up being something that would effectively sideline him for the rest of the year. The veteran running back was activated off the injured reserve list in time for Super Bowl LVII against the Philadelphia Eagles, yet he was inactive for the team's biggest game of the year. After day one of Kansas City's mandatory veteran minicamp, though, Edwards-Helaire revealed that his role for that week was dynamic and still contributed in some way to the win. 

Here's the full story, as told by Edwards-Helaire on Tuesday afternoon: 

"I practiced that week, the whole week. I played receiver that week, I played the 'Z' and the 'Zebra.' Pretty much played every position, with the exception of quarterback and offensive line, throughout practicing through that week. In my mind, I was kind of thinking that — I got activated Tuesday or Wednesday of that week — initially, it was just going out there and didn't think I was playing.

"[Then] started practicing and coach kind of told me, 'Figure some things out as far as, if you know the playbook, [you're] the only guy I would trust to go out there. You know the playbook, so in order to keep everything going smooth for the biggest game of the year, why not go out there and play receiver and keep everything rolling if you're doing that for us on offense.' I also did scout team; I was DeVonta Smith for scout team for the defense. I did everything that I needed to do in order for us to win that game. That's just what it was: they called my number and I was out there." 

Coming out of college, Edwards-Helaire was touted as a dual-threat prospect who could be just as lethal when coming out of the backfield as a receiver as he'd be when toting the rock as a true running back. After all, the former LSU Tigers standout hauled in 55 passes for 453 yards and a touchdown during his final season with the team and flashed the ability to run a dynamic route tree as well. It was one of the main reasons why quarterback Patrick Mahomes fully endorsed the team's selection of him with the 32nd overall pick three years ago. 

Over the course of his Chiefs career, Edwards-Helaire has caught 72 passes in just 33 games (29 starts). That includes a 36-catch rookie effort and subsequent totals of 19 and 17 receptions, respectively, in years two and three. It's no surprise that the team made an active decision to put him in a receiver-like role leading up to the Super Bowl, but that's a far cry from also trusting him to serve as a "Z" wideout and play the Smith role on the scout team.

With now second-year halfback Isiah Pacheco expected to headline the running back room in 2023 and veteran Jerick McKinnon likely assuming the No. 2 role, Edwards-Helaire's involvement in the Chiefs' offense appears to have taken a tumble compared to the responsibility he used to have. If the Chiefs' Super Bowl week workload for him is any indication of things to come, though, perhaps there's some untapped potential for what he can offer as his rookie contract enters its final year. Even if it was a one-off development, it's an intriguing behind-the-scenes look at the most important week of Kansas City's season.

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