Michael Heldman
| No. 49 – Kansas City Chiefs | |
|---|---|
| Position | Defensive end |
| Roster status | Practice squad |
| Personal information | |
| Born | March 10, 2003 Romeo, Michigan, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Listed weight | 268 lb (122 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Romeo (Romeo, Michigan) |
| College |
|
| NFL draft | 2026: undrafted |
| Career history | |
| |
* Offseason or practice squad member only | |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
Michael Heldman (born March 10, 2003) is an American football defensive lineman for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Central Michigan Chippewas.
Early life
[edit]Heldman attended Romeo High School in Romeo, Michigan. He committed to play college football for the Central Michigan Chippewas.[1]
College career
[edit]In his first four seasons from 2021 to 2024, Heldman played in 39 games, totaling 72 tackles with 17.5 being for a loss, eight and a half sacks, a pass deflection, and two forced fumbles.[2][3] In 2025, he notched 48 tackles with 16.5 being for a loss, 10.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles,[4][5] earning first-team all-MAC honors. After the season, he declared for the NFL draft.[6]
Professional career
[edit]| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | Wingspan | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 3+7⁄8 in (1.93 m) | 268 lb (122 kg) | 31+1⁄2 in (0.80 m) | 9+1⁄2 in (0.24 m) | 6 ft 6+1⁄8 in (1.98 m) | 4.70 s | 1.64 s | 2.73 s | 4.31 s | 7.05 s | 40.0 in (1.02 m) | 10 ft 3 in (3.12 m) | 29 reps |
| All values from Pro Day[7][8] | ||||||||||||
After going unselected in the 2026 NFL draft, Heldman signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent.[9] On August 30, Heldman was placed on season-ending injured reserve.[10] On September 3, Heldman was waived with an injury settlement.[11]
Kansas City Chiefs
[edit]On September 16, 2026, Heldman was signed to the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad.[12]
References
[edit]- ↑ Jackson, Ross (May 4, 2026). "UDFA DE Michael Heldman spotlight". Louisiana Sports. Retrieved July 31, 2026.
- ↑ Bernreuter, Hugh. "CMU stars Michael Heldman, Jordan Kwiatkowski sign as NFL undrafted free agents". MLive.com. Retrieved July 31, 2026.
- ↑ "Michael Heldman". Sports Reference. Retrieved July 31, 2026.
- ↑ Zuniga, Isaac. "A Hidden Gem at Pass Rusher that the Bears Must Target". Heavy.com. Retrieved July 31, 2026.
- ↑ Rose, Bob. "Saints UDFA profile: Central Michigan edge defender Michael Heldman". Saints Wire. Retrieved July 31, 2026 – via Yahoo Sports.
- ↑ Jackson, Ross. "Michael Heldman could surprise in Saints' training camp". Louisiana Sports. Retrieved July 31, 2026.
- ↑ "Michael Heldman College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved September 20, 2026.
- ↑ "Michael Heldman (DE)". RAS.football. Retrieved September 20, 2026.
- ↑ Johnson, Luke. "Saints undrafted rookie Michael Heldman has lofty goals. First, he's got to make a roster". NOLA.com. Retrieved July 31, 2026.
- ↑ "New Orleans Saints reduce active roster to 53 players". NewOrleansSaints.com. August 30, 2026.
- ↑ Ulrich, Logan (September 3, 2026). "Saints Cut Two From IR Including RB Devin Neal". NFLTradeRumors.co. Retrieved September 3, 2026.
- ↑ "Chiefs make 5 roster moves on Wednesday". Arrowhead Pride. September 16, 2026.