Chiefs re-sign RB McKinnon, decline CEH’s option

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chiefs re-signed one veteran running back, Jerick McKinnon, to a one-year contract while declining the fifth-year option on the contract of another, Clyde Edwards-Helaire on Tuesday.

General manager Brett Veach suggested on Monday that a deal with McKinnon, who turns 31 on Wednesday, was imminent.

McKinnon had the best receiving season of his career in 2022, when he was third on the team in receptions (56), fourth in receiving yards (512) and second in receiving touchdowns (9). He had a streak to end the regular season of six games with at least one touchdown catch.

McKinnon also rushed 72 times for 291 yards and a touchdown.

He could have had a touchdown late in the fourth quarter in Super Bowl LVII but gave himself up 2 yards short of the end zone after a 9-yard run. The move helped set up the Chiefs for the game-winning field goal in a 38-35 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.

McKinnon played the past two seasons for the Chiefs after playing four years for the Minnesota Vikings and one for the San Francisco 49ers. He sat out the 2018 and 2019 seasons while with the 49ers because of complications from knee surgery.

The 2014 third-round draft pick has 2,590 rushing yards, 1,856 receiving yards and 29 total touchdowns over his career.

The Chiefs drafted Edwards-Helaire in the first round of the 2020 draft out of LSU and he led the team in rushing as a rookie with 803 yards. But injuries have interrupted each of his three NFL seasons and last year before getting hurt he lost his starting job to a rookie, seventh-round draft pick Isiah Pacheco.

Edwards-Helaire rushed for 517 yards in 2021 and 302 yards last season. He missed a large portion of last season with a high ankle sprain. He was activated off injured reserve in time for the Super Bowl, but he was inactive for the game.

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