ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — The back stories of safety Tyrann Mathieu and defensive end Frank Clark are remarkably similar, starting with their rocky rides through college and right into their NFL stardom.
So it makes sense that the Kansas City Chiefs are counting on both of them to provide not only playmaking but also leadership for a defense that has undergone a top-to-bottom transformation.
The Chiefs signed Mathieu in March to a $42 million, three-year contract to replace the oft-injured Eric Berry at the back end of new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's 4-3 scheme. Then in April, the Chiefs acquired Clark from Seattle and lavished on him a $105 million, five-year deal.