Another Central Michigan Chippewa is still in the NFL fight.
Former Central Michigan defensive end Michael Heldman signed with the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad Wednesday, the team announced as part of a series of roster moves.
The Romeo, Michigan, product gives Kansas City another developmental edge presence after a winding start to his pro career.
Heldman went undrafted in April and signed with the New Orleans Saints as a UDFA. He was placed on injured reserve in late August and waived with an injury settlement days later.
The Chiefs picked him up quickly. For a player who spent five seasons becoming one of the most productive pass rushers in recent CMU history, it is another chance to prove the MAC production travels.
That production was hard to ignore in maroon and gold. Heldman played 53 games and started 42, including his final 25. He finished with 120 tackles, 34.5 tackles for loss, 19 sacks, four forced fumbles, five pass breakups and a school-record 29 quarterback hurries.
As a redshirt senior in 2025 he started all 13 games, led the Chippewas with 16.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks, added nine hurries and two forced fumbles, and earned First Team All-MAC honors plus Second Team G5 All-America recognition.
Nationally he ranked 12th in sacks per game. He was a team captain, a four-time Academic All-MAC selection and a communications graduate.
The path was gradual. A three-star from Romeo High School who committed to CMU in November 2020, Heldman redshirted in 2021 and stacked seasons until the 2025 breakout.
Coaches and teammates pointed to motor, play strength and consistency more than flash. That same profile is what practice-squad roles are built for: stay ready, rush the passer when elevated, and win the small battles on special teams and scout-team snaps.
For Central Michigan, Heldman’s signing is another reminder that Group of Five production still opens NFL doors.
The Chippewas sent two captains into the league last spring — Heldman to New Orleans, linebacker Jordan Kwiatkowski toward New England — after a season in which both anchored a defense that finished 7-6 and played in the GameAbove Sports Bowl.
Heldman’s next step is quieter than a draft-night highlight, but it is the kind of opportunity programs in Mount Pleasant sell: develop, produce, and keep working when the first landing spot does not stick.
Kansas City’s defensive line room is deep. Heldman’s job is familiar from his CMU years — earn every snap. Chippewa fans will watch the transactions page the same way they watched Kelly/Shorts: hoping the next elevation has No. 97’s name on it.
