Clyde Edwards-Helaire Will Play for Chiefs vs. Bills After Recovery from Injury

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Kansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire will be on the field for Sunday’s AFC Divisional Round game against the Buffalo Bills.

Per ESPN’s Adam Teicher, Edwards-Helaire doesn’t have an injury designation on the final practice report released on Friday. 

Edwards-Helaire was listed on the official injury report throughout the week with a shoulder issue, but he has been a full participant in practice each of the past three days. 

The 22-year-old has had a tough season from an injury standpoint. He missed seven games during the regular season due to MCL and shoulder issues, and the team’s 42-21 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card Round. 

When healthy Edwards-Helaire had a solid season, rushing for 517 yards and four scores while adding 19 catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games. He split time with Darrel Williams, who came into the postseason with his own injury concerns and didn’t see the field much in the win over the Steelers. 

That opened the door for a bigger role for Jerick McKinnon, who responded with 142 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown. 

“Every day you have something to prove in this league,” McKinnon told reporters after the game. “I knew that I would get a little bit more opportunities than I’ve had in the other games that we played… and I just wanted to prove to my teammates and my coaches that I can get the job done.”

“I’ve seen it from training camp on that he’s a playmaker,” quarterback Patrick Mahomes said of McKinnon. “Obviously he’s dealt with injury in his career and he dealt with a little bit of injury this season, but he’s kept his mindset right, he’s kept working hard. And I knew with some other guys kind of being down and dinged up that he would step in and fill in nicely.”

Given how well McKinnon played last week against the Steelers, he might be in line for a bigger role against the Bills. Edwards-Helaire has started all 25 games he’s played over the past two seasons, including two playoff games last year. 

The Chiefs are hosting the Bills at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET. They will advance to their fourth consecutive AFC Championship Game with a win.