The Kansas City Chiefs have put together a supremely talented defensive front in recent seasons. But one of the longest-tenured members of the Chiefs defensive group was facing an uncertain future this offseason. Tamba Hali, who joined the franchise as a first-round pick out of Penn State in 2006, was set to hit NFL free agency for the first time in his career.
But the Chiefs, well aware what Hali means to the organization and the city, even beyond his considerable sack totals, weren't going to let their pass-rush specialist get away.
Hali and the Chiefs came to terms on a new three-year deal on Tuesday, the day before the start of the latest league year and the final opportunity for interested parties around the league to legally tamper with potential free agent targets.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Hali took the opportunity to thank the fans in Kansas City and assure them that he'd be continuing on with the franchise.
"#TambaTime and #SackCity are here to stay...Thank you to the Hunt family, coach Reid, John Dorsey and the entire Chiefs staff," Hali wrote. "To the best fans in the NFL, we will continue our mission to bring the Vince Lombardi Trophy home to #ChiefsKingdom."
THANK YOU. #TAMBATIME pic.twitter.com/bQd7q2Q4fe
— Tamba Hali (@TambaHali91) March 8, 2016
Anchored by Dontari Poe and Mike DeVito up front, the Chiefs defense allowed just 329.3 yards per game in 2015, good enough for the seventh-best mark in the league. They were also one of only 10 teams in the league to average allowing fewer than 100-yards on the ground per game, clocking in at 98.2 yards per contest.
The 32-year-old Hali struggled through an injury-riddled campaign in 2015, dealing with knee issues and a broken thumb. But Hali still managed to appear in 15 games, racking up 6.5 sacks, good enough for second on the team, and reaching the fifth Pro Bowl of his professional career.
Hali isn't the player he once was and looks to very much be on the downside of his NFL tenure, but there's something uplifting about seeing a player as beloved as Hali sign a contract that's almost certain to keep him in Kansas City for the duration of his professional career.
