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Just outside of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Kansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire is working with Skillz Evolution trainer Craig Brodie.
Brodie, who lives in Madisonville, Louisiana, connected with Edwards-Helaire, a Baton Rouge native, through mutual acquaintances. Brodie is working with Edwards-Helaire to improve his balance and explosiveness. The two began working together in early July and will continue working 3-4 days per week up until training camp in late July.
Brodie has posted videos of his workouts with CEH to display his abilities and to show how every workout they do is directly connected to what CEH does on the football field.
As a first-round pick in 2020, it comes as no surprise that the videos posted by Brodie of Edwards-Helaire display an explosive athlete. But Brodie is seeing much more from CEH than what the videos show.
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Brodie Likens CEH to Patriots Hall of Famer
Growing up in Louisiana, Brodie got to know former NFL running back and LSU product Kevin Faulk. Brodie’s father, Craig Brodie Sr., coached Faulk at Carencro High School and maintained a relationship with him after he graduated.
Brodie didn’t go as far as comparing CEH to Faulk, who was a do-it-all back for the New England Patriots during their dynasty run in the 2000s and would eventually be inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame. But that doesn’t mean from a size and skill set perspective that Brodie doesn’t see similarities between the two backs.
“Kevin is the same height as Clyde … and Kevin did everything, he returned punts, he returned kicks, he played receiver … he was arguably one of the best third-down backs over the last 20-25 years,” Brodie told Heavy during an exclusive interview.
But Edwards-Helaire’s abilities also provide standalone value in Brodie’s eyes.
“Honest to God, I think he’s made of rubber,” Brodie said of Edwards-Helaire. “Everything that he does he bends well … his bursts are ridiculous.”
CEH Preparing for Pivotal 2-Year Stretch
Up until this point, it’s safe to say CEH hasn’t performed to expectation. As the 32nd overall pick in 2020, he stormed into the NFL his rookie season with 1,100 scrimmage yards and 5 total touchdowns. However, a total of seven missed games during his first two seasons has brought about durability concerns for the former LSU product and stunted his growth in Year 2 in the NFL.
During the 2021 season, CEH played in 10 regular season games, accumulating 646 yards from scrimmage on 138 total touches (4.7 yards per touch), according to Pro Football Reference. The lack of production from him during his sophomore campaign could be why Kansas City loaded up its backfield with new faces this offseason.
The players added include veteran Ronald Jones II, and rookies Jerrion Ealy, Isiah Pacheco, and Tayon Fleet-Davis. The team also re-signed Jerick McKinnon, their most efficient runner in 2021, and still have Derrick Gore on the roster.
The work CEH is doing with Brodie comes ahead of a couple of pivotal seasons for the third-year back. 2023 will be the final year of Edward-Helaire’s rookie contract with the Chiefs. This means that Edwards-Helaire has his work cut out for him in 2022 and beyond if he wants to earn a second contract in the NFL.
But Edwards-Helaire isn’t concerned about anyone else in the Chiefs’ backfield or his situation next season, according to Brodie. He’s just worried about becoming a better football player.
“Honestly, he just wants to play,” Brodie told Heavy. “That’s his biggest thing. He wants to make sure that he is in the best shape possible going into camp, going into the preseason, going into Week 1.”
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