KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark spoke to reporters on Friday about how he's been handling his on-field performance post-injury, and trouble off the field.
"At the end of the day, I have a life I have to make sure isn't going to shambles for decisions that were made off the field," Clark said.
Clark missed the first few games of the season because of a hamstring injury. He's also facing criminal charges in two separate gun-related incidents.
He admitted that the turmoil has hindered his ability to get ready for football, but he's learning to put it to the side.
"I've been dealing with a lot of stuff. You've got to put a lot stuff to the side. Those things are just as important as football, taking care of my family and my job," Clark said. "I feel like I'm in a way better place than before. It's a focus level you have to have."
As far as the injury goes, Clark said he's learning to come back from it, but he has to use the games for conditioning, a training that normally gets done in the preseason.
"I've spent probably a month and a half almost not doing no true running, no true pass rushing," Clark said. "So now all the work I spent in the off season it basically went to waste... I basically got to work overtime to get back."
The Chiefs as a whole have been having a tough season, with a record sitting at three wins and four losses. Clark said that, as a unit, it's about keeping their focus.
"It's about taking everything one day at a time. I feel like sometimes, being successful like we've been, we kind of get ahead of ourselves," Clark said. "You start thinking to the playoffs, to the Super Bowl, to those games instead of thinking, well, we've got the Giants this week."
Chiefs coaches echoed this sentiment during the press conference. Offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy said the team needs to get out of their own way.
"It's time for us to create our own luck by getting out of our own way," he said.
The Chiefs will face off against the New York Giants this Monday at 7:15 p.m. in Kansas City.
