ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Teddy Bridgewater wants to return for a ninth NFL season in 2022 whether that's in Denver or elsewhere.

Bridgewater indicated Thursday that retirement hasn't crossed his mind as he's dealt with the aftereffects of his second concussion of the season, which came on Dec. 19 against the Bengals.

“It comes with the game. Every time I hit the ground, I ask God, ‘Why am I doing this?’" Bridgewater said. "And then when I get up, when I come to work on a Wednesday and see the guys working hard, that's why you do it, the interactions you have with the guys in the locker room, the smiles you get to put on the fans' faces, the feeling of competing. That's why you do this."

And it's something Bridgewater, who went on IR this week, wants to keep doing in 2022. His one-year contract with the Broncos expires after this season. Last month, he denied that a report suggesting he wanted $25 million a year to keep playing came from his camp. But that figure would be middle of the road for a starting quarterback in the NFL.

Bridgewater was the most consistent of the 10 quarterbacks Denver has started, along with running back Phillip Lindsay last year, since Hall of Famer Peyton Manning retired a month after the Broncos' win in Super Bowl 50.

In 14 starts he went 7-7 while completing 66.9% of his passes for 3,052 yards, a career-high 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He was sacked 31 times.

He brought leadership to the locker room after new GM George Paton acquired him from Carolina in the offseason and reworked his contract so that the Panthers were on the hook for much of his compensation.

But he couldn't pull the Broncos (7-9), who wrap up the season Saturday against nemesis Kansas City (11-5), out of their doldrums.

They're missing the playoffs for a sixth straight season and posted their fifth consecutive losing season. So, another offseason of uncertainty looms regarding not only Bridgewater but coach Vic Fangio and his staff.

Bridgewater had the quote of training camp as he began his eighth NFL season with his fourth team last July, saying, “You can throw me in the jungle and I'm gonna come out with a fur coat and a headband made out of some leaves.”

Bridgewater said Thursday he still sees himself as a survivor, one who's overcome a career-threatening injury and made multiple NFL stops.

“Yeah, that's the nature of the business. You survive, man. And I tell everyone, I've been through the (unpredictability of the) NFL offseason the past couple of years and I understand things happen, decisions are made and it's business," Bridgewater said. "But I'm still gonna survive, man. No matter where or how it happens, I've just got to have that mindset always.”

Bridgewater hasn't played since getting knocked unconscious against the Bengals. The Broncos took a 7-6 record into that game but lost 15-10. That was followed by losses to the Raiders and Chargers with Drew Lock under center.

“It's a little difficult just knowing that you didn't put the team in a position to where if something like this did come up, you could afford not to win a game or two,” Bridgewater said. "Wish we could have been let's say 10-3 or something ... but I am pleased with how guys are still competing every day. I'm proud of this group.

“We get one more opportunity to go out and complete. I'm happy I get to be on the sideline this week and I'm looking forward to it."

Bridgewater met with the media on a Zoom call to accept the Darrent Williams Good Guy Award from the Denver chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America. He's the first offensive player to win it in the 15-year history of the award, which was created in the memory of the Broncos cornerback who was slain on New Year's Day 2007 after completing his second season with the team.

“I'm honored that I'm the first offensive player to receive this award and very appreciative," Bridgewater said.

Safety Justin Simmons had won the award the last two seasons and three of the last four. This year, Simmons was named the inaugural winner of the Demaryius Thomas Team MVP Award that was created to honor the memory of the former Broncos receiver who died last month at his home in Georgia. His family believes the cause of death was a seizure.

“What makes this really special is I got to have a relationship with D.T. and I know the type of impact that he's had here,” Simmons said. “... This is as prestigious as an award gets. To be honored with this is unbelievable.”

Chiefs seek No. 1 seed and 13th consecutive win over Broncos

DENVER (AP) — Patrick Mahomes sees the regular-season finale at Denver on Saturday as a way for the Kansas City Chiefs to tune up for another long playoff run, no matter when that might begin.

The Chiefs (11-5) lost the pole position in the AFC bracket with their last-second loss at Cincinnati last week. So, they'll have to beat the Broncos (7-9) and the Titans would have to lose to Houston for Kansas City to get the No. 1 seed for the third time in four years.

“I think guys are ready to go. We understand that we can still go out there and do whatever we want to do, it’s just going to take us being better and better each and every week,” Mahomes said. "We know it’s still going to be a tough game this week in the Broncos, playing in Denver. It’s always a tough game, so we’re just going to focus on trying to win this week, and we’ll let the playoffs handle itself.”

Although the Chiefs have dominated Denver with 12 consecutive wins over their AFC West foes, Mahomes doesn't put up his usual big numbers against Vic Fangio's defenses.

They beat the Broncos 22-9 a month ago despite Mahomes completing just 15 of 29 passes for 184 yards, no touchdowns and an interception. Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill were held to a combined 49 yards receiving.

It was reminiscent of last season's game in Kansas City when the Chiefs trailed Denver until late in the third quarter and ultimately pulled out a 22-16 nail-biter.

“Yeah I mean we’ve been successful as far as winning games, but they’re always hard-fought battles," Mahomes said. "That defense, I mean they got playmakers everywhere and they run a great scheme, they have a great defensive coordinator, great defensive head coach and they have good feel for playing against us since we play so much.

“It’s always a tough fought battle for us, a great football team, a great defense and playing in Denver is never easy.”

The Broncos, suffering through a fifth consecutive losing season and a sixth straight season without a playoff berth, won't have star rookie Patrick Surtain II to help contain the Chiefs' high-octane offense. He's out with two strained calves.

Drew Lock will make his third straight start in place of Teddy Bridgewater, who suffered a concussion against Cincinnati on Dec. 19. Although he has lost road games to the Raiders and Chargers, he has shown better decision-making and hasn't committed a turnover.

“Drew has found that love for the game again,” Bridgewater said Thursday. "I was in the same situation before where it took for me to not be starting for me to find that love and that joy for the game again.

“That's just been the theme of our conversations. He's having fun out there. You love to see it. He's matured in so many ways. He's protecting the ball. So, I'm excited that all of his hard work throughout this year is finally on display and he's finally getting a chance to go out there and compete.”

Chiefs linebacker Anthony Hitchens sees the same thing in Lock from afar.

“Yeah, he’s grown as a player as most guys do in this league," Hitchens said. "The longer you learn, the better you can play and read stuff, but deep down he’s still aggressive and loves the deep ball. So, similar to a year ago or so, but I think he improved just learning the game as a whole.”

SLOW AND STEADY

Chiefs fourth-year running back Darrel Williams, who has taken over as the starter with Clyde Edwards-Helaire out with a shoulder injury, needs just 37 yards from scrimmage to reach 1,000 in a season for the first time. Not bad for an undrafted free agent out of LSU who has played sparingly throughout his career.

“It’s never easy having to wait for your turn," Williams said, "and when you finally get your opportunity you have to make the most of it.”

EXPLANATION, PLEASE

It has become common — and sometimes comical — to see Mahomes chasing after an official to discuss a penalty on the Chiefs. That was especially true last week in Cincinnati, where the Chiefs committed 10 penalties that cost them 83 yards.

“I mean it’s a tough job that they have. They’re seeing some of the best athletes in the world flying around with a lot of contact and stuff going on,” Mahomes said. "Sometimes I’m disappointed I didn’t get the call that I thought we should get, but that’s part of the game and at the end of the day, I’d rather them let us play more than anything.”

WHO'S THAT?

A rash of injuries at inside linebacker have forced the Broncos to dig deep into their depth chart, and they've found a gem in Jonas Griffith, a small-school All-American at Indiana State who spent last season on the practice squads of the Colts and 49ers, who traded him to Denver on Aug. 31.

Griffith leads the Broncos with 33 tackles in his three starts over the last three weeks. That would project to a whopping 187 over a full season.

Broncos activate specialists McManus, Martin off virus list

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos activated kicker Brandon McManus and punter Sam Martin off the reserve/COVID-19 list on Friday, 24 hours before their season finale against the Kansas City Chiefs.

They also placed starting cornerbacks Patrick Surtain II (calves) and Ronald Darby (shoulder) on IR and placed cornerback Nate Hairston on the reserve/COVID-19 list, leaving them with a depleted secondary to face the Chiefs (11-5)

Earlier this week, the Broncos (7-9) placed safety Kareem Jackson (shoulder) on IR.

In other moves, the Broncos signed tackle Quinn Bailey and wide receiver Tyrie Cleveland from their practice squad to the active roster and they activated veteran safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, a COVID-19 replacement, from the practice squad to the active roster.

Clinton-Dix is a seventh-year pro who has started 97 games, including seven playoff contests, in his career with Green Bay (2014-18), Washington (2018), Chicago (2019) and Las Vegas (2021).