At this time a year ago, Dee Ford was just eliminated by the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs. Now, the San Francisco 49ers pass rusher will be facing the Chiefs in the Super Bowl.
Ford, who was traded from the Chiefs to the 49ers last offseason, insists he won't have any extra juice against his former team.
“Let’s get this right: there’s no love lost nowhere,” Ford told Jarrett Bell of USA TODAY Sports. “It’s just me playing my brothers. At the end of the day, we just have to compete. But I’ve got so much love for the people in that building. And likewise, they’ve got love for me.”
Remember: Kansas City was an interception away from making it to the Super Bowl last year, but a neutral zone infraction penalty by Ford wiped out what would have been a game-sealing pick by safety Daniel Sorensen. The Chiefs then proceeded to fall to the Patriots in overtime.
“It was a sloppy play on my end,” Ford said of the flag. “I don’t have a lot of encroachment penalties. Never have. It was just sloppy, but not a recurring thing.”
Ford, who has not been penalized for lining up in the neutral zone since, will get a chance at redemption on Feb. 2.
The 28-year-old was limited to 11 games during the regular season due to injuries, logging 14 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and a couple of forced fumbles.
He made the Pro Bowl last year after racking up 55 tackles, 13 sacks, and an NFL-leading seven forced fumbles in what was his final season in Kansas City.
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