Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire reveals he's attending nursing school: 'Close to my heart'

Kansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire is more than a monstrous running back. He’s also a caring son and brother, who is working toward earning a nursing degree in his spare time.

Nursing is in Edwards-Helaire’s blood. His mother is a nurse and his sister suffers from muscular dystrophy, giving the former LSU standout a tender heart for those in need of help. After the Chiefs’ win over the Miami Dolphins in the NFL Playoffs, Edwards-Helaire pulled back the curtain on his admirable goal.

“It’s kind of enjoyable because it kind of feels like college,” Edwards-Helaire said. “It’s one of those things where there’s nothing to really do out here. It’s always snowing, so I’m not doing anything else but leaving work and then going to school stuff.

“Shout out to my fiancé. She kind of helping me with the scheduling ordeal and all that’s been a headache. In the future, if any of y’all need some shots or IVs or anything, holler at your boy.”

Edward-Helaire’s classes haven’t prevented him from tearing through opposing defenses. In the 2023 regular season, the 5-foot-7 locomotive tallied 223 yards and a touchdown on 70 carries. He also recorded 17 receptions for 188 yards and a touchdown.

In the Chiefs’ win over the Dolphins, Edwards-Helaire collected seven carries for 21 yards. Before being drafted to the NFL, Edwards-Helaire spent three seasons at LSU. While he still had a passion for nursing at the time, his schedule was too busy to pursue it seriously.

“I wasn’t able to do the nursing things because, being at LSU, the nursing school and playing football, I would have to do LSU in New Orleans and some other stuff, and I was not necessarily planning on leaving early but had the opportunity to,” Edwards-Helaire said. “So now I’m back at school, rolling.”

The Chiefs will need Clyde Edwards-Helaire to be rolling over defenders on Sunday evening against the Buffalo Bills. It won’t be easy. The Bills have only allowed 324 yards per game this season, the fourth-least in the NFL. Edwards-Helaire certainly isn’t taking the game for granted.

“Football is just one of those things that’s kind of get me in this position, but you know, using my brain and me knowing, you know, what I can do on the back end, helping people,” he said. 

“In the nursing field, it’s just one of those things. I just feel like people are doing it for the love of the money, not you know, what’s what’s actually going on with everything in the medical field and nursing. So it’s close to my heart.”