Tamba Hali has held his tongue, and his frustration, in for a long time.
The time for that, however, has come to an end, as Hali not only questioned his lack of playing time down the stretch last season in a string of tweets on Saturday — which were authentic, sources told The Star — he also seemed to question a handful of his teammates’ decisions to skip organized team activities on a podcast which posted the same day.
“I’m not going to shy from it — I think it’s important, especially if you’re on our team and you’re one of our leaders — that you should be always there,” Hali said on the Arrowheads Abroad Podcast, which posted Saturday. “I don’t want to say names, but I’ve been there for 12th year, and I haven’t missed one offseason with the Chiefs.
“Whoever is on our team and is expected to be a leader, we need those guys there. Because the younger guys come in and see these guys like, ‘I want to be like him — he’s makes a lot of money and he’s here, he’s working.’ It builds such chemistry for our team. I’ve tried not to talk on it, but it really hurts my feelings because I know how much I love the game and I want those guys to be there so we can all get on the same page and make this run.”
Hali — who also alluded to this belief in a string of Tweets — did not name any of his teammates by name. However, three of the Chiefs’ Pro Bowl defenders — safety Eric Berry, outside linebacker Justin Houston and cornerback Marcus Peters — skipped all of organized team activities, while outside linebacker Dee Ford — who led the team in sacks and pressures a year ago — also skipped part of OTAs.
Meanwhile, Hali and fellow inside linebacker Derrick Johnson — two of the longest-tenured Chiefs — were present during OTAs, despite the fact neither participated in the practices.
“Sometimes, that chemistry is lost when you’re on your own time; you go somewhere else and do your own thing,” he said. “I understand it’s a business, but as far as football goes, when we’re on the field, there’s no business. The business is to get (butt) ... I encourage anyone that’s on our team, that feels they’re a leader, should be around our team, 24/7, when they’re supposed to be there.”
A source told The Star in January that Hali, 33, plans to play four more seasons, and his string of Tweets on Saturday were also indicative of a man who clearly believes he has more in the tank and was annoyed by his usage down the stretch last season after everything he’s given to the organization.
One thing that has stuck in Hali’s craw since January was the fact he logged only seven snaps — 10 fewer than defensive lineman Jarvis Jenkins and five fewer than Frank Zombo — in the Chiefs’ bitterly-dissappointing 18-16 divisional loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“I’m a team player first,” Hali wrote on Twitter. “Anything for the team. Yet I’m not done knocking QB’s heads off but seven plays won’t cut it.”
That seven-snap performance came after he logged an average of 28 snaps in the last four regular-season games, and ranked third on the team in sacks (3 1/2) and pressures (nine) despite playing only 51 percent of the defensive snaps, down from 77 percent a year ago.
“I was told the reason I wasn’t playing was they wanted me fresh for the playoff,” Hali wrote.
Hali also noted that he played 58 snaps in the Chiefs’ season opener — their miraculous 33-27 comeback win over San Diego — and expressed frustration at logging only 15 snaps in a December win over Oakland, in which Houston and Ford logged 68 and 66 snaps, respectively.
“Am I needed in KC anymore?” he wrote.
I was listening to Grunhard a month and a half or so ago on 810. He was talking about much of the same stuff with the players missing OTA's, and the chemistry/leadership issues brought up by Hali.
I know this is not the thread for this, but this is part of why I think we see Mahomes after the Bye at some point. I can just see this team taking a step back this season given the schedule the first 10 games.
For the record, I would not be surprised to see this team go 12-4 again. But I also wouldn't be shocked to see something in the 6-9 win range either. [Reply]
Originally Posted by :
Chiefs Moon Chiefs Moon is offline
Rookie
Join Date: Jul 2017
Casino cash: $500
Posts: 1
Surrounding all the burst...I could not help but notice this is Chiefs Moon's first post... :-)
Welcome...Hi!
The page in this thread about Larry Johnson's Tweet had it all ... :-)
please don't tear my flesh off ... and the Chiefs are not going 4-12...perhaps you can lose a game when you play the Giants...please don't kill me - I survived this long... [Reply]
The Chiefs have made clear they want Mahomes to sit, for at least a year. That would give Mahomes time to learn, and the team can save $17 million of cap space by cutting Alex Smith next offseason.
The Chiefs have made clear they want Mahomes to sit, for at least a year. That would give Mahomes time to learn, and the team can save $17 million of cap space by cutting Alex Smith next offseason.
Kingsbury wants that for Mahomes, too.
Kingsbury wants that for Mahomes, too. But even as Mahomes is still just 21 years old, Kingsbury is convinced he and the Chiefs could make it work if circumstances changed.
“I just know the kid, and he’s so competitive he would have some success,” Kingsbury said. “But coach Reid could script some things to keep him comfortable. I want him to sit, but if he gets thrown out there, he’ll do some things to make you say, ‘Wow.’”
He then continues to talk about how circumstances that things could open up opportunity for him to play in his opinion but you left that part off conveniently.
Bla bla bla tell everyone how stupid I am :-) [Reply]
The Chiefs have made clear they want Mahomes to sit, for at least a year. That would give Mahomes time to learn, and the team can save $17 million of cap space by cutting Alex Smith next offseason.
Originally Posted by KC Tattoo:
Kingsbury wants that for Mahomes, too. But even as Mahomes is still just 21 years old, Kingsbury is convinced he and the Chiefs could make it work if circumstances changed.
[B]
"Making it work" and being successful are two entirely different concepts. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud:
"Making it work" and being successful are two entirely different concepts.
And according to that video Hog Farmer posted, Terez Paylor asked Reid if he'll adapt or simplify any verbiage or concepts for Mahomes in preseason, and Reid gave a VERY firm "No."
Reid's not going to baby Mahomes, but it's also obvious he's not going to overwhelm him this early. This is a MUCH better way to go, and by this time next year Mahomes will be much further along and ready to compete for the starting spot than if Reid did any tailoring to try and get him on the field faster [Reply]
Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud:
"Making it work" and being successful are two entirely different concepts.
My problem isn't sitting Patrick Mahomes II for a year if that's what is in his best interest so be it I agree. However my problem is what's in front of him on the depth chart Tyler Bray not if but when Alex Smith goes down. We are suppose to rely on Tyler Bray to come in and keep us alive for a run at the playoffs that we will undoubtedly lose first or second round in?
We are going have to keep stride with the Raiders all season and really both Denver and homeless Chargers are going make things as difficult as they can even though we swept them they will be out to get us.
I propose Chiefs have on a look out to bring in another back up QB that can be more dependable than Tyler Bray. Unless of course Tyler has a good showing in preseason. He is a ? [Reply]
Originally Posted by RealSNR:
And according to that video Hog Farmer posted, Terez Paylor asked Reid if he'll adapt or simplify any verbiage or concepts for Mahomes in preseason, and Reid gave a VERY firm "No."
Reid's not going to baby Mahomes, but it's also obvious he's not going to overwhelm him this early. This is a MUCH better way to go, and by this time next year Mahomes will be much further along and ready to compete for the starting spot than if Reid did any tailoring to try and get him on the field faster
Exactly. This way is a lot better than the RG3/Shanny way. [Reply]
Originally Posted by KC Tattoo:
My problem isn't sitting Patrick Mahomes II for a year if that's what is in his best interest so be it I agree. However my problem is what's in front of him on the depth chart Tyler Bray not if but when Alex Smith goes down. We are suppose to rely on Tyler Bray to come in and keep us alive for a run at the playoffs that we will undoubtedly lose first or second round in?
We are going have to keep stride with the Raiders all season and really both Denver and homeless Chargers are going make things as difficult as they can even though we swept them they will be out to get us.
I propose Chiefs have on a look out to bring in another back up QB that can be more dependable than Tyler Bray. Unless of course Tyler has a good showing in preseason. He is a ?
Never underestimate the power of Bray. He has a cannon and has been in the system for several years now. [Reply]
Originally Posted by penbrook:
Never underestimate the power of Bray. He has a cannon and has been in the system for several years now.
I think Tyler Bray is as happy as a tick on a dog to be backup so I don't think he has the drive and want that Patrick Mahomes II has to become starter this year. In Patrick Mahomes II mind he is making this a competition to take over Alex Smith job so he will be a force that the coaches may have to consider even being the #2 quarterback if he outplays Tyler Bray in preseason and TC. [Reply]
The entire NFL process, no matter how fancy they try to make it sound, is deeply conflicted. They’re an employer whose main job is to keep teams on the field while the fans are happy and the cash is rolling in. The problem for decades was that there was evidence of the NFL and other sports leagues using their power and influence to downplay accusations or even make investigations involving their players magically disappear. Victims who call police want help and fair investigations, not cops asking for autographs.
But those victims didn’t ask for the NFL to do its own investigations; they wanted it to not obstruct legitimate ones. Just like it always has, the newly woke NFL seems to expect special treatment; all that’s changed is the favors they want. Before, they wanted investigations to go away. Now, they want every last detail of those investigations fed to them so they can do whatever public-relations spin they have to do. The NFL now thinks every prosecutor in America needs to cooperate with them beyond what’s in the public record on every single investigation of, not just domestic violence, but the entire personal conduct policy, which is so broad it covers just about anything a person does.
The NFL and Jerry Jones don’t care if Elliott really did beat up Thompson, or if he didn’t, or if maybe it’s a complicated situation, or if maybe it isn’t. They care, as they have always cared, about getting the right PR spin on it so that nobody will feel bad about forking over thousands of dollars to visit Cowboys stadium and watch Elliott run. While they’re at it, they’d like to use concerns about domestic-violence victims to gain more power to enforce a personal-conduct policy that is so arbitrary it doles out longer suspension for marijuana than for beating your partner—while, apparently, working with America’s district attorneys. This is what “getting it right” looks like with the NFL—an arbitrary power grab that helps nobody except the likes of Jones, the billionaire who just wants to keep on making more billions. [Reply]
Originally Posted by penbrook:
Never underestimate the power of Bray. He has a cannon and has been in the system for several years now.
Don't worry I'm not underestimating Tyler Bray if he shows his competition spirit I hope he does shine and make Patrick Mahomes II work that much harder for anything he gets.
That said I'd rather have Tyler Bray autograph than Alex Smith when I go to TC with my son.
The line for Patrick Mahomes II maybe pretty long. [Reply]
