Lions wide receiver DJ Chark dismisses ‘revenge game’ motivation vs. Jaguars

DJ Chark playing against his former team is a bit of a headline this week, but the Lions wide receiver has dismissed any extra motivation for a “revenge game.”

Upon signing with the Detroit Lions, albeit referring to last year’s dysfunction under Urban Meyer, DJ Chark did not say many good things about the Jacksonville Jaguars. On Sunday his former team will come to Ford Field, with a “revenge game” conversation sort of fun, but also low-hanging fruit.

Chark has not had a good season in Detroit thus far, with a six-game absence due to an issue with the ankle he had surgically repaired last year derailing things in particular. He got toward a better track on Thanksgiving against the Buffalo Bills, playing a heavy snap share and catching a touchdown. Regardless of his future with the Lions, the final six games of the season will be pretty important for him.

And it just happens the start of the December-January closing stretch comes against his former team.

DJ Chark dismisses having any extra motivation against the Jaguars

It would be perfectly normal for Chark to be extra motivated going against his former team this week. Not that he lacks motivation otherwise, but having some extra “juice” going against the Jaguars wouldn’t be something to necessarily avoid talking about.

Chark has dismissed the “revenge game” idea though.

"I’ve missed six games, so at this point, every game is circled on the calendar,” Chark explained, via Justin Rogers of The Detroit News. “I just want to get out there and show myself what I can do. I’m happy that I was able to get back in time to play in this game, but for me, really, every game is the same. The season is coming to an end. We could have a chance to push further. We’ll see how that goes. I just want to go out there and showcase my talent, and help this team win because we can.”"

Chark is following the script here, saying “every game is the same” while being happy he is healthy enough to play Sunday. The latter health note is understandable, especially given a fairly grim comment he had about his ankle injury at one point. But he wouldn’t be human if he didn’t have an extra chip on his shoulder going against the Jaguars, even if he won’t embrace it publicly.