Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire had his solid rookie season knocked a bit off course when he suffered a high-ankle sprain against the Saints in Week 15.
Edwards-Helaire missed Kansas City’s last two games and the playoff victory over Cleveland. He was back on the field for the AFC Championship Game, scoring a touchdown on one of his six carries. He had 87 yards from scrimmage in the Super Bowl, too. But the running back admitted this week that he wasn’t fully healthy in those postseason matchups.
“I was about probably 85 percent, close to 90 percent,” Edwards-Helaire said, via Herbie Teope of the Kansas City Star.
Now, Edwards-Helaire says he’s “100 percent” after an offseason of taking care of himself.
“Right after the season it wasn’t too hard because I knew I was hurt,” Edwards-Helaire said. “That was the thing, just kind of making sure everything was aligned right. I probably wasn’t doing anything [strenuous], just being able to recover, get some guidance to work on ankle, hips. That was the best thing that benefited me.”
Edwards-Helaire also pointed out that with LSU’s national championship season in 2019, he played about as much football as possible between his final season in college and rookie year in the NFL. So having this offseason to get fully healthy was welcome.
“Just having the time to kind of let my body recover, then be specific on my training in the offseason and rehab kind of got me where I am right now,” Edwards-Helaire said.
The running back finished his rookie year with 1,100 yards from scrimmage — 803 rushing, 297 receiving — and five total touchdowns in 13 games. With another year in the system, he should be a major factor in Kansas City’s explosive offense in 2021.