Seymour incident adds to Broncos-Raiders rivalry

ENGLEWOOD – A few dirty tricks are to be expected when the Broncos and Raiders get together. Chalk it up as part of one of the NFL’s longest rivalries.

Hair pulling, apparently, is over the line. Oakland defensive end Richard Seymour pulled offensive tackle Ryan Clady’s hair in the first meeting this season. Seymour was penalized on the play. That play bothered the Broncos then and they haven’t forgotten.

“There’s no part for that in football,” tight end Daniel Graham said. “Try to keep everything clean between the lines. But it’s Seymour and he’s with the Raiders now, so you have to expect the worst.”

Seymour said in a teleconference Wednesday that he didn’t intend to pull Clady’s hair. He explained that he was on top of Clady, who tried to get up. Seymour said he instinctually grabbed Clady’s hair. Seymour said “it doesn’t matter if they’re happy or not,” about the Broncos’ resentment, and didn’t worry much about it.

“It’s just how it goes in the trenches,” Seymour said. “If you’ve been in the trenches you know what I mean. It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there. You have to protect yourself and I’m just going out to try and play hard and tough and play the game it was meant to be played.”

Clady, who has since shaved his dreadlocks, didn’t speak to the media. Graham said he didn’t expect any carryover from the incident. However, there might be some added intensity on Sunday.

“We all rememeber, we don’t have to discuss it,” Graham said. “We’ll be prepared for all of that.”

Contact the writer at 476-4891