ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The bye week couldn’t have come at a better time for the Denver Broncos. Not only does it allow them to get to get healthy, specifically Aqib Talib and Derek Wolfe, but it also allows them to rest up for the toughest stretch of the season, starting with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Since the Chiefs (7-2) are currently ahead of the Broncos (7-3) in the AFC West, there is no doubt it will be one of the most important games of the season. For outside linebacker Shane Ray, it’s personal, too.
“With the Chiefs [after the bye week], I’m already excited because it’s where I’m from,” Ray said before leaving for the bye week. “I would love to beat up on the Chiefs and come back and talk crap to all of my friends and family. It’s big time and I think we will all take this break, get well rested and come back ready to go.”
The 23-year old not only was born and raised in Kansas City (Missouri) but played college football in his home state at the University of Missouri. His connection with the state is so deep that he even has a Kansas City Chiefs tattoo on his back. Yes, a Chiefs tattoo.
Even though it’ll be Chiefs week once the players return from the bye, Ray said he wouldn’t hide his tattoo during the week.
“Oh no, nah man. I’m glad that I have [the tattoo] because they can see that I’m from there, but I’m going to be bringing the pain back,” he said.
Last year, when the Broncos played in Kansas City in Week 2, Ray brought fellow outside linebacker Von Miller to his barbershop in the heart of Chiefs country.
“You walk in and you got Derrick Thomas posters, you got Chiefs this, Chiefs that, Chiefs flags and me and Von walk in,” he said. “We in there talking stuff and we said, ‘we got mind control over the Chiefs.’”
The mind control seemed to work in the first matchup last year as the Broncos pulled out an improbable 31-24 victory when Bradley Roby returned a fumble for a touchdown with 27 seconds left.
“It’s always great to come out with a win [over the Chiefs] and to go back there and sit in that same chair that I get my haircut in and look at everybody’s faces, and they like ‘ah you pulled that one out.’ But a win is a win,” Ray said.
Ray loves the rivalry with his former city, but when it comes to game time, he wants the ultimate bragging rights.
“The people there they love me—just the love that I get from my city, the respect that I get from everybody there,” he said. “Coming back and showing them my [Super Bowl] ring, knowing where I came from and my roots, everybody is just so happy for me and what I’ve been able to do coming from Kansas City, even though I got to beat them twice a year.”
In order to beat the Chiefs twice this year, Ray and the Broncos will need to take care of business during their first game back from the bye week on Sunday, November 27 at 6:30pm.
But before that, it’s relaxation time for Ray.
“A lot of relaxation. I’m going to be relaxing in L.A.,” he said. “Honestly, just going to go out there and get some of that good sunlight, palm trees, fresh water, good food, relax and get back ready to work.”
With only six games to close out the regular season after the bye week, every game is of the utmost importance. For Ray and the Broncos, it starts with beating the Chiefs.
