Tamba Hali is signing with the Kansas City Chiefs again. Well, for one day, anyway
For the last few years of his career, former Chiefs edge rusher Tamba Hali balked at retirement talk. Aware his body was no longer holding up, his mind wouldn’t allow him to walk away.
On Monday, three years removed from the NFL, he finally did — with a special honor.
The Chiefs signed Hali to a one-day contract Monday so he could officially retire as a member of the organization.
And a memorable member he was.
Hali, a first-round draft choice in 2006, developed into one of the best pass rushers in team history. He finished with 89 1/2 sacks with the Chiefs, the only jersey he ever wore in 12 seasons, including double-digit sacks in 2010, 2011 and 2013. Only Hall of Famer Derrick Thomas had more sacks with the franchise.
Hali made six Pro Bowl rosters and two All-Pro teams and became a player around which opponents would need to game plan, his combination of quickness around the edge and power making him a constant presence in the backfield.
The Chiefs drafted Hali in 2006 with the No. 20 overall pick, earlier than mock drafts had anticipated, he’d be selected after he had won the Big Ten defensive lineman of the year at Penn State. He moved to the country at age 10, leaving his native Liberia and became a U.S. citizen in 2006, preceding his rookie season in Kansas City.
The selection proved worthy immediately. Hali had eight sacks and five forced fumbles in his rookie season. In nine seasons, he had at least six sacks. He made them count, too. Hali was masterful with the strip-sack. He forced 33 fumbles over his 12 seasons.
The Chiefs ultimately released him after the 2017 season, a cap casualty after injuries had limited him to just 99 snaps.
This story was originally published May 10, 2021 at 11:37 AM with the headline "Tamba Hali is signing with the Kansas City Chiefs again. Well, for one day, anyway."