Tamba Hali explains his previous Twitter comments
By Matt Conner
Tamba Hali took to Facebook on Tuesday night to set the record straight about statements made on Twitter over the weekend.
In recent days, Tamba Hali set Chiefs Twitter on fire with a string of tweets himself on a number of subjects. The most significant content had to do with a complaint about a lack of playing time when the Chiefs faced (and lost to) the Pittsburgh Steelers last January, where Hali only had 7 snaps. The Chiefs linebacker went on to call out teammates who skipped voluntary OTAs while also sharing his opinion on a number of other subjects.
It was surprising behavior for Hali, who has been the model of a head-down type of player since entering the league with the Chiefs over a decade ago. Now one of the team’s defensive leaders and a future Chiefs Hall of Fame player, Hali has earned the respect of fans and teammates, which made his outburst all the more surprising. We’ve discussed it ourselves here, noting that Tamba has earned whatever credibility needed to say what he said without a need to worry about the typical shaming culture that comes on social media.
On Tuesday, Hali told fans to tune into his Facebook page so he could set the record straight.
After a few minutes of delay, Hali began to clarify the comments he’d made, including a defense of his college coach Joe Paterno. “As far as the Chiefs go, I’m all in … I’m one of those guys who love to compete … I don’t feel like I’m done and I just wanted to know where we’re going. I don’t want to sit here for everyone to blow it out of proportion … People said I called out a couple players. I wasn’t calling out any players. I just wanted people to know how I feel.”
It’s clear from Hali’s reflections that he wanted to make sure that people knew his comments were made in the spirit of competition. The Chiefs are loaded enough to win it all, and as one of the team’s leaders, especially one who is getting older, he’s anxious for everyone to be on board with this same idea.