Football
Clyde attended Catholic High School, where he became the first freshman in head coach Dale Weiner's 29-year tenure to play on the varsity football team. As a senior, he rushed 58 times for 496 yards and scored 10 touchdowns. He was named the MVP of the 5A State Championship Game after catching eight passes for 161 yards and rushing for 88 yards with a touchdown in the Bears' 31–28 victory over Archbishop Rummel High School. Rated as a four-star recruit, Edwards-Helaire committed to play college football for the LSU Tigers.
Edwards-Helaire was named LSU's starting running back and was featured on the watchlists for the Maxwell and Paul Hornung Awards heading into his junior season. He played a significant role in LSU's victory over third-ranked Alabama, rushing for 103 yards and three touchdowns, and catching nine passes for 77 yards and a touchdown in a thrilling 46–41 win. For his performance, he was named the SEC co-Offensive Player of the Week, alongside LSU quarterback Joe Burrow. Edwards-Helaire concluded the regular season with 1,414 rushing yards, which ranks as the third-most in a single season in LSU history. He scored 16 rushing touchdowns on 215 carries, added 453 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown on 55 receptions, and returned 16 kicks for 214 yards. His outstanding performance earned him a consensus first-team All-SEC selection as a running back, and he was named second-team by the league's coaches as an all-purpose performer. He was also the only SEC running back to be named a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award. Following the end of the season, Edwards-Helaire announced his decision to forgo his senior year and enter the 2020 NFL Draft.
Edwards-Helaire was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round with the 32nd overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. He made his debut for the Chiefs in Week 1 as the starting running back. At just 21 years old, he became the youngest player in NFL history to rush for at least 130 yards and score a touchdown in his NFL debut. Overall, he finished his rookie season with 181 carries for 803 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns, along with 36 receptions for 297 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown. In Super Bowl LV against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Edwards-Helaire rushed nine times for 64 yards and recorded two catches for 23 yards. After six seasons in the NFL, Clyde has scored a total of 19 touchdowns, with an average of 8.5 receiving yards and 4.1 rushing yards per carry.
Personal
Clyde Edwards-Helaire was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on April 11, 1999. In the fourth grade at Brownsfield Elementary School he met his future wife. Fast forward to 2020, the two reconnected. After years of growing, they tied the knot on June 24, 2024. Mrs. JoJo Edwards-Helaire attended Xavier University of Louisiana where she earned a bachelors degree in Biology with minors in Women’s studies and chemistry. She continued her education at University of Kansas Medical School, earning a master’s in Public Health.
In December 2018, Edwards-Helaire experienced a tragic self-defense shooting that has significantly impacted his life, leading to his struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder. Off the field, he demonstrates his compassion by advocating for mental health awareness. He encourages others to prioritize self-awareness, seek help when needed, and support one another, drawing from his heartfelt journey from Baton Rouge to the NFL.
Our vision
The Edwards-Helaire Foundation is committed to supporting essential mental health resources and programs for both children and adults. We believe that every individual deserves consistent support, hope, and understanding from a community that acknowledges the profound impact of mental health on lives and family dynamics. Our goal is to change the outcomes for underserved youth in communities across the United States by creating access to opportunities, enrichment, and advancement.