The Kansas City Chiefs have serious help on the way

Tamba Hali

It wasn’t that long ago that Chiefs Kingdom was shocked by a Twitter rant from Tamba Hali. A fan favorite and franchise icon, Hali has long been the model citizen in Kansas City, so it took everyone by surprise when he went to Twitter to express his desires for more trust from the coaching staff and, specifically, more snaps when it counts most. Hali sounded like a competitive player gearing up for a season with high expectations.

Then just as quickly as the rant began, the plans shifted considerably. The Chiefs announced they were going to place Hali on the Physically Unable to Play list just weeks after he was angry about not being given a chance to play. Were the Chiefs punishing him for speaking out? Was there really an injury? Questions began to be asked about the real situation.

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It turns out that Hali being placed on the PUP list is about one thing: keeping him fresh for the stretch run. The Chiefs face a grueling schedule and having Hali healthy and ready at the right time is a significant part of the plan. Even last year in limited duty, it was clear he was still a very efficient pass rusher whose moves and experience bely any speed lost over the years.

If Hali is healthy and simply waiting his turn, it’s going to be a serious boon for the Chiefs to have such an experienced player arriving at midseason. At this point, they’ve already lost Dee Ford for at least one week and find themselves thin at pass rusher. They didn’t even sack Kirk Cousins once in Week 4. Imagine, then, what it will mean to add someone completely fresh at midseason.