Chiefs' Clyde Edwards-Helaire hopes to help others by sharing his experience with PTSD (2024)

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Most days, Clyde Edwards-Helaire is one of the Kansas City Chiefs’ most jovial players, someone who often makes his teammates smile.

Just last week, Edwards-Helaire, the fifth-year running back, joked with Isiah Pacheco while on the sideline during a practice, the two running backs singing together and ad-libbing off one another to create R&B-style lyrics.

Some days, though, Edwards-Helaire’s mood and body language can change quickly, sometimes just one thought triggering memories of a traumatic experience. One of those instances came a few days ago. On Thursday, Edwards-Helaire shared how some of his closest teammates, including receiver Kadarius Toney and tight end Travis Kelce, can tell when he starts to experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. That happened early this week as Edwards-Helaire missed practice Sunday and Monday with what the team described as an illness.

Just before Sunday’s on-field work, Edwards-Helaire shared on his X account that he missed practice because he was experiencing symptoms of PTSD, such as flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety. For the first time in his NFL career, Edwards-Helaire revealed Thursday the origin of his PTSD and the date he’ll never forget: Dec. 22, 2018.

“My best friend and I got into a self-defense situation,” Edwards-Helaire said. “That’s probably where the majority of things stem from.”

On that day, Edwards-Helaire and LSU teammate Jared Small were trying to sell an electronic item in north Baton Rouge, La., Edwards-Helaire’s hometown, to Kobe Johnson. While in the back seat of a truck, Johnson attempted an armed robbery with Edwards-Helaire and Small in the front seats, according to Baton Rouge police. Edwards-Helaire reacted by pulling out a legally registered handgun and fired multiple shots, killing Johnson, who was 18. After talking with Baton Rouge police, Edwards-Helaire and Small were released that night and not charged.

A week later, East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore said the shooting was justified.

Ten days after the shooting, Edwards-Helaire was back on the field when LSU beat Central Florida in the Fiesta Bowl, recording 57 all-purpose yards and a 77-yard return on the opening kickoff.

“With that happening at such a young age, my first couple years I tried to block everything out, like, ‘At some point, I’m going to get over it,'” Edwards-Helaire said. “Then you start to realize that just doesn’t happen. You get older and you realize no matter the age, the person, the situation, everyone needs help at some point.

“It’s being able to know this is the help I need or this is what I need to ask for.”

RB R&B album coming soon? 🤣 pic.twitter.com/0lwFeEJPDA

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) July 27, 2024

Edwards-Helaire shared in his X post that he has experienced “many flare-ups” with PTSD in the past month. He explained Thursday that two groups have helped help him better recognize and treat his symptoms: his parents, Shannon and Tonge Helaire, and members of the Chiefs’ medical and support staff.

Shannon, Helaire’s father, who served in the Marine Corps and is a former police officer, has spent the past two years helping Edwards-Helaire by sharing books on PTSD and giving details of his experiences.

“He told me things that I felt he never told anybody, even guys that have been a part of his platoon or guys he was deployed with,” Edwards-Helaire said of his father. “Talking is a big thing. It’s just getting over that hump, personally, of being able to know that everybody goes through things, good or bad, and being able to cope with it.”

A few years ago, Edwards-Helaire was diagnosed with PTSD and cyclic vomiting syndrome, a chronic condition in which people can experience cycles of severe nausea, vomiting and exhaustion that can last from a few hours to a few days.

Edwards-Helaire either missed practice or was listed with an illness on the Chiefs’ injury report at various moments last season, including the week of Super Bowl LVIII. He said PTSD, cyclic vomiting syndrome or both can often be overwhelming and debilitating.

“Sometimes, I’m admitted into the hospital, like I can’t stop throwing up,” he said. “The only person who kind of put me in the right direction was (assistant athletic trainer) Julie Frymyer early on to get me some of the (medication) at the time when I am probably going through an episode to get me over that hump.

“It’s really bad dehydration and dropping weight really fast. Mentally, it’s just not being there.”

Really powerful stuff from Clyde Edwards-Helaire today, sharing his experience living with PTSD.

"No matter the person, no matter the situation – everyone needs help at some point."

"It’s just being able to step up and know, ‘This is the help I need.'" pic.twitter.com/vaD6QgYsqA

— Marleah Campbell (@MarleahKCTV5) August 1, 2024

Edwards-Helaire referenced three additional members of the Chiefs organization who have helped him gain a greater perspective of his circ*mstances and appreciation for his mental health progress — Rick Burkholder (vice president of sports medicine and performance), Brian Shafar (senior director of team security) and Shaun Tyrance (team clinician).

“I’m a guy who can talk to anybody,” Edwards-Helaire said. “If I can get the help from (anyone) who has a different coping mechanism that they feel helped them, I try my best to get whatever I need for help so I can come out here and perform.”

Edwards-Helaire joined the Chiefs in 2020 as their first-round pick, a skill-position player projected to be a potential star based on his above-average rushing and receiving skills. He helped the Chiefs reach the Super Bowl in his rookie season, recording 1,100 all-purpose yards and five touchdowns, but his production has declined in each of the past three years.

As a first-time free agent this past spring, Edwards-Helaire chose to sign a one-year, $1.7 million contract with the Chiefs to back up Pacheco rather than join another team. Several coaches and players have commended him for his work ethic and professionalism.

“I really enjoy having him around and he’s someone that has a calming presence,” offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said of Edwards-Helaire. “With (running back) Deneric Prince as a young guy coming in and learning (pass) protections, Clyde has all the protections down. He knows the timing of screens and he knows his patience in the hole. As a person, he’s just a special human being. He has a great balance on the field and off the field. It shows with his teammates.”

Three days after the Chiefs’ overtime victory in Super Bowl LVIII in February, Edwards-Helaire was with his teammates and coaches during the team’s parade and victory celebration in downtown Kansas City when the event ended in a shooting that stemmed from a dispute between several people. One person, 43-year-old Elizabeth Galvan, was killed and at least 22 others were wounded. As shots rang out, Edwards-Helaire shielded Zach Cotten, a 13-year-old who attended the parade with Chris, his father.

Edwards-Helaire was one of four members of the team — along with coach Andy Reid, right guard Trey Smith and long snapper James Winchester — whom President Joe Biden praised during the Chiefs’ visit to the White House on May 31.

Still, Edwards-Helaire said he dealt with anxiety days after the parade.

“I just kind of wanted to remind everybody in K.C. that it’s not something that you want to keep bringing up (to others),” he said. “You never want to bring up past traumas because you never really know what funnel that’ll bring the next person down or what situation or what spot that they were in during that time.”

Edwards-Helaire was reminded of Dec. 22, 2018, this past offseason when he was in his hometown and spent time at a cemetery to honor friends he has lost.

“I’ve had best friends that have passed away from young ages from gun violence and just not being at the right places at the right time,” Edwards-Helaire said. “Knowing I have people that (were) close to me or around me who are not in the situation or could (have been) in the same spots that I am, it’s different when you feel like your whole life is (known as a) football player. There’s so many things that come with a person.”

Edwards-Helaire got married to girlfriend JoJo O’Connor in late June. He said he will continue taking online courses during the season in hopes of one day becoming a nurse, his mother’s occupation.

But while he continues his career in the NFL, Edwards-Helaire said he decided last month that he wanted to try more often to be a positive influence for other people who are living with PTSD, recommending they seek help even if it’s uncomfortable.

“I felt it was at least my job to step up and talk about the things that some people feel vulnerable enough to not talk about,” he said. “I’m probably the most level-headed and clear that I’ve probably been in the last five or six years. I’m 25 years old. I’m just trying to live the rest of my life healthy.”

(Photo: Reed Hoffmann / Associated Press)

Nate Taylor has been a staff writer for The Athletic covering the Kansas City Chiefs since 2018. Before that, he covered the Indiana Pacers at The Indianapolis Star for two years. He has also been a sports features writer for The New York Times and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. A Kansas City native, he graduated from the University of Central Missouri. Follow Nate on Twitter @ByNateTaylor