Tamba Hali was once a great player for the Kansas City Chiefs. He is still a pretty darn good one when he is healthy. But now he is wonder if the Chiefs even still want him. While he played in all 16 games in 2016, he only started two of them, and he only logged a total of 596 snaps during the regular season, this despite Justin Houston missing most of the season.
What does this have to do with the Pittsburgh Steelers, exactly? Well, it seems as though one of Hali’s main beefs with the team these days stems from the fact that he feels as though they failed to utilize him during Kansas City’s playoff loss to the Steelers during the Divisional Round.
In fact, that is how he began a Tweetstorm yesterday sounding off on his grievances, which all boils down to simply wanting to play more. It’s probably simpler to just let the Tweets speak for themselves rather than quoting snippets.
Fans should know this. only played 7 snaps last year 2017 playoff game against the Steelers.
— Tamba Hali (@TambaHali91) July 22, 2017
I was told the reason I wasn’t playing was they wanted me fresh for the playoff.
— Tamba Hali (@TambaHali91) July 22, 2017
Can someone explain to me how I played 58 snaps in the first game when we made the greatest comeback in Chiefs history?
— Tamba Hali (@TambaHali91) July 22, 2017
watching both Steelers game from sideline and playing 15 and 7 in the last game I’m still lost. Am I needed in KC anymore?
— Tamba Hali (@TambaHali91) July 22, 2017
He would certainly seem to have a point. If the team told him that he was having his snaps limited to be healthy in the playoffs, and then he only saw a handful of snaps in their lone playoff game, which they spent much of it trailing, then I think he should feel entitled to express his feelings of being unwanted.
He might not be as productive as he once was, but Hali has always been a player who is easy to like, and would have made a good Steeler, both on and off the field. He plays the game for the love of the sport, and puts the team first. He wants to help the team on the field, and it hurt to sit there on the sidelines, healthy, as they lost.
Of course, the Chiefs have had a bit of a tumultuous offseason already. They mad a big move to get their quarterback of the future while they still have their quarterback of the present. Then they released one of what would have been his top targets, and then let their general manager go.
