The Kansas City Chiefs have a number of players on their team who all played for the same college.
While Mississippi State leads the way with five players on the 80-man roster, Chiefs HC Andy Reid likes to give the players from Michigan and LSU a hard time. He specifically points to the three players from LSU — Tyrann Mathieu, Darrel Williams and rookie Clyde Edwards-Helaire — and the rich tradition of football excellence. That tradition has spilled out onto the practice field at training camp and motivates the players to compete.
“I joke to the Michigan guys and the LSU guys, we’ve got a whole lot of both, and LSU, from the Badger (Tyrann Mathieu) to the two running backs, we’ve got a good amount of players from there,” Reid told reporters on Sunday. “But it’s great football tradition that they’re bringing in, and they’re like family. If you play at LSU, there’s a certain fraternity and pride that goes with that that you become a part of.”
Edwards-Helaire, in particular, feels prided by the fact LSU helped prepare for the tempo of Reid’s practices and the competition level in the NFL.
“Leaving LSU, having three-hour practices and just the whole tempo of everything,” Edwards-Helaire said. “Freshman year, having NFL caliber players across from me on the defensive side of the ball, where everything is pretty much live, it tends to just be fast and that’s just what it is. As far as coming here, it was no real speed adjustment. The biggest adjustment is understanding what you have to do and how to fine-tune those details.”
LSU didn’t just prepare Edwards-Helaire for the NFL game, though. As Andy Reid notes, it left him as part of a brotherhood. He shares an unbreakable bond with one player, in particular. That plays is Chiefs veteran RB Darrel Williams.
“For me, the guy that I’ve always looked up to is Darrel [Williams],” Edwards-Helaire said. “He was in my room at LSU, and he’s also in the room with me now. He’s been on this offense. As far as anybody that I turn to, it’s always Darrel.”
That relationship has helped with Edwards-Helaire’s ability to pick up the playbook quickly in Kansas City, something Willams also helped him do as a freshman at LSU. It also drives some stiff competition between the two players, which is making them both better according to Coach Reid.
“Yes, Darrel helps him out,” Reid said. “They’ve got a good relationship and they push each other at the same time, which might be the most important thing.”
The Chiefs could be rolling out an All-LSU one-two punch at the running back position when the season opens this September. As training camp continues, these two running backs will be better for it because they share that common bond of being an LSU Tiger.
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