Kansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire has publicly battled PTSD symptoms since July 2024, but he’s been overcoming the illness for much longer than that. For the first time since revealing his condition, Edwards-Helaire shared the full story of the 2018 shooting that has served as the root cause of his PTSD during an appearance on The Pivot Podcast.
“On December 22, 2018, Clyde Edwards-Helaire and his best friend Jared Small traveled to North Baton Rouge to sell a PlayStation,” host and former NFL safety Ryan Clark began the episode. “To Clyde’s knowledge, an app had handled everything.” He figured that the conversation and the exchange would take five-to-ten seconds. Both Clyde and Jared were unaware that Kobe Johnson, an 18-year-old young man, was in possession of a gun. He put that gun to the side of Jared Small’s head. [and] Clyde sprung into action. He activated a concealed firearm, resulting in the death of Kobe Johnson.
“My only reaction was, either I’m about to watch my best friend lose his life or do something about it,” Edwards-Helaire told The Pivot Podcast while detailing that fateful day. His stepfather, a police officer/ex-marine, and his mother, also serving in the military, taught him to always carry his firearm and “be ahead of the situation.”
“It was Jared or [Johnson],” the Chiefs running back reiterated. “I honestly hate how it went, especially just learning more about the individual—I wanted the best for everyone, [and] I wish it had never gone that way,” the Chiefs running back said.
Edwards-Helaire revealed that he still struggles to overcome that feeling, nearly six years after the incident. He revealed that a “bad feeling” led to him accompanying Small that day, and he’s still wrestling with the sequence of events that would change his life forever.
“Even though you can have a great career on the grass, you don’t get to wear the helmet in your everyday life,” Clark said to begin the podcast. That message rings true throughout the entire interview.
“These last four years, up until probably about four months ago, have been a complete roller coaster,” Edwards-Helaire said, describing the impact of the tragedy on him. Edwards-Helaire grapples with both the mental and physical aspects of the tragedy.
The Chiefs RB revealed that PTSD symptoms have hospitalized him more times than he can count, and for a while, he averaged barely three hours of sleep per night. “The only time that I would feel myself was when I was putting on the helmet,” CEH said.
Eventually, the investigation determined that Edwards-Helaire was innocent of any wrongdoing. But the trauma has left a lasting impact, as he recalled being handcuffed and held as a “full-blown criminal” at a nearby police station.
However, Edwards-Helaire is in a much better place now. “I’m doing a lot better than I have been these past four years,” he voiced at the start of the interview. “Both mentally and physically, everything is improving.” I’d say I’m probably the healthiest I’ve been since I came into the league.”
The running back also revealed the critical role Chiefs teammate Travis Kelce has played in his recovery, calling their bond “unbreakable.” As Edwards-Helaire continues to overcome his PTSD, his story serves as an inspiration for others facing mental health challenges.