Clyde Edwards-Helaire has opened up about his absence from the Kansas City Chiefs team this season as he battled PTSD. The running back lauded his teammate Travis Kelce for the immense support provided during his time on the NFL’s Reserve/Non-football illness (NFI) list for the first six games due to ‘personal issues’.

The former LSU star disclosed his PTSD stemmed from an incident in 2018 when he was involved in a fatal shooting following an attempted robbery. While trying to sell a PlayStation console, the buyer aimed a gun at them, leading to a confrontation where Edwards-Helaire, also armed, acted in self-defense resulting in the buyer’s death.

Clyde shared his harrowing experience on The Pivot Podcast: “The next thing I see is a gun towards Jared’s head. My only reaction was, you know, either I’m about to watch my best friend lose his life or do something about it. I hope nobody ever has to go through the situation that I’ve been through.”

In his fifth season with the squad after a first-round draft selection, the Chief had never previously discussed a particular troubling incident. Yet, this year he was granted time off at the start while combatting hardships and has revealed that he’s been hospitalised multiple times due to PTSD.

When queried about whether he’s shared his personal struggles with teammates, he identified Kelce as a vital support figure for him, admitting: “‘The amount of time that I was spending with Travis was unreal. I really look at him as a big brother and I needed somebody to lean on… The only time that I would feel myself was when I was putting on a helmet.”

Kelce showed his support by responding to the video circulating online with a heartfelt message: “GBC! ! My good brotha for life! Y’all gotta tune into this one. One of the strongest men I know! ” referencing the nickname ‘GBC’ which stands for Good Brother Clyde, as Edwards-Helaire relayed. Having rejoined the team on October 15, Edwards-Helaire is now striving to secure his third consecutive Super Bowl title with the Chiefs this campaign.

“‘The amount of time that I was spending with Travis was unreal. I really look at him as a big brother and I needed somebody to lean on… The only time that I would feel myself was when I was putting on a helmet.”