KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ Frank Clark has fought an uphill battle with his health all season. There was a pinched nerve in his neck that he'd been dealing with since the preseason, plus a shoulder injury. He's missed two games.
But the latest malady may have been the scariest.
Clark missed practice last week while visiting a specialist for a stomach ailment. The team reported that he played with the flu a week earlier at New England. Now, Clark was dealing a mysterious condition that required additional attention.
But after the Chiefs' 23-3 victory over the Denver Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium Sunday, Clark declared himself fit and credited his desire to return to the field as a critical part of his recovery.
"The last two weeks have been long," Clark said. "I haven't been able to practice as much as I wanted to. But I had to make sure my health and body were right. That has to come first."
Clark was listed as questionable for Sunday's game. He didn't start but entered early as part of the defensive end rotation with Alex Okafor, Tanoh Kpassagnon and newcomer Demone Harris.
When Okafor was lost for the game with a shoulder injury after a sack of Drew Lock, that rotation got thinner.
Clark, who has six sacks in 12 games this season, didn't get one Sunday. But he was credited with two tackles and two quarterback hits in a superb defensive effort. On a snowy day, the Chiefs held Denver without a touchdown and to just 52 rushing yards.
That's a low total against the Chiefs this season. The team effort extends off the field, Clark said.
"My teammates have helped me with the daily struggles this season," he said. "I thank God for my teammates and coaches, how they understood what I was going through, how I was fighting and wanted to be out there.
"They understood it was going to be a fight, and that I don't quit. That's been my mentality."
Last week's hospital visit sapped some energy, Clark said. Also, he said he weighs about 245 pounds now after starting the season around 260.
Is he back for good? Tough to say. There's a history here. Clark suffered food poisoning last season while playing for Seattle. He's had an appendectomy, and "there have been complications from that," he said.
Clark, who signed a $104 million deal with $62 million guaranteed in April, said he was less than 100% healthy when he started the season because of the pinched nerve. He said he had a discussion with doctors about playing in the opener.
"But I wanted to get out from the start and show my teammates and prove to the Chiefs I'm here to stay," he said, "and they know what type of player they're getting in me."
Clark had an interception in the Chiefs' season opener at Jacksonville but played sluggish early. Like the Kansas City defense as a whole, he's been better over the last few weeks _ even while dealing with multiple health issues.
"I'm just happy that it's all out of the way and I can be around my team more," Clark said. "I always want to play. It's what keeps me sane."
