ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs are one of the NFL’s best rivalries, dating back to the 1960s.
New Bronco, and former Kansas City Chief, Frank Clark, however, doesn’t believe there has been a rivalry between the two teams for a while.
“I wouldn’t call it a rivalry. A rivalry is competitive,” Clark said, wearing an Orange & Blue 55 jersey on Saturday, after the Broncos’ fourth training camp practice. “True or false.”
Before signing a one-year deal up to $7.5 million with the Broncos in June, Clark spent the past four seasons with the Chiefs. During his four-year span, the Chiefs went a perfect 8-0 against the Broncos.
But, as Broncos fans are too aware of, that’s only about half of the issue. Denver’s losing streak to Kansas City dates back to November, 2015. Since, the Broncos have lost a whopping 15-straight games.
“I’m on the Broncos now and I’ve been on the other side. You know what I mean? And we didn’t call it a rivalry then,” Clark stated. “I’m with the Broncos now. Until we become competitive enough — we have to beat the team. We have to win our division. We have to do a few things, not just about the Chiefs. It’s things we have to do here. We have to get our own ball together here in order for us to go out and compete, in order for us to become one of those factions.”
If the past eight Broncos-Chiefs games haven’t been rivalry games, then what have they been?
“A football game between two teams,” Clark said, once again delivering an eye-opening quote from a current Bronco.
Now the two-time Super Bowl Champion is in Denver to attack Patrick Mahomes, break the losing streak to the Chiefs and get the Broncos back to the playoffs for the first time since Super Bowl 50.
That’s why Sean Payton is in town too and the head coach made it clear he believes the Broncos can make the playoffs this year too.
“That’s what you want out of your leader,” Clark said, reacting to Payton’s comments that he would be “pissed off” if the Broncos don’t make the playoffs this year. “At the end of the day, Coach Payton does a great job. He’s done a great job with us since he’s came in. Just reinstalling that type of ball.”
After four years with the Chiefs, it’s Clark’s job in Denver to reinstate the Broncos-Chiefs rivalry.
