Yes, Tamba Hali created quite a storm this weekend… no, a Twitternado would be more accurate… but, after teaching and living in classrooms with literally thousands of people — and their personalities — I can say with certainty… this too shall pass. The best thing to do following Tamba’s Twitternado: everybody just calm down.
Here are all of Hali’s Twitter posts in succession:
- “Fans should know this. only played 7 snaps last year 2017 playoff game against the Steelers.”
- “I was told the reason I wasn’t playing was they wanted me fresh for the playoff.”
- “Can someone explain to me how I played 58 snaps in the first game when we made the greatest comeback in Chiefs history?”
- “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?”
- “I was healthy last year and the year before. I had a scope not a major procedure. The result of playing for a long time.”
- “I haven’t missed any off-season workouts in 11 years w/the Chiefs. I’ve played in every game except four in my 11 year career with Chiefs.”
- “Let’s look at the Super Bowl champs I am sure they had 100% attendance for OTAS AND OFFFSEASON WORKOUT this year. I maybe wrong.”
- “I’m a team player first. Anything for the team. Yet I’m not done knocking QB heads off but 7 plays won’t cut it.”
- “I’ve played through all my injuries I’ve acquire throughout my careers not sitting out because I did not feel I wouldn’t be at my best.”
- “I play because I love the game and did it under some of the worst conditions.”
- “TAMBA HALI IS TWEETING HIS THOUGHTS.”
- “I’m not a pass rusher I’m a football player. I just happens to get to QB when GOd allows me to.”
- “I just got my purple belt. Thanks to
@RenerGracie@RyronGracie getting ready for another season hoping to play more.” 
- “No I’m not high or drunk I just want to play more football.”
- “Guys it shouldn’t come as a surprise knowing most people are ignorant to reality of the football business.”
- “So people are curious if I’m holding out or got cut. No to both. I want to play more.”
- Then Adam Teicher chimes in:
- “Maybe @TambaHali91 has a point. But he’d better get used to it. His playing time isn’t going up this season.” –Adam Teicher
- “Adam I wouldn’t talking if I was you” – Hali
- “Here’s the problem with modern day reporters. They don’t appreciate the love for the game.”
- “When a players wants to play they criticize him.”
- “This isn’t even about me anymore.”
- “People should covering Chris long as we speak because he’s doing some awesome work in Africa.”
- “Appreciate it!!! We will keep it going” – Chris Long
So, Tamba Hali is speaking out about not getting enough playing time. He’s telling why… because he’s spelling out his own dedication to the game of football and the Chiefs. Yes, he’s expressing his opinion about championship teams always getting 100% participation in OTAs… but why? It’s simple: BECAUSE HE’S ALWAYS GIVING 100%.
Tamba has also expressed that Andy Reid told him that he should “work to get better” in response to his request to get more playing time during his exit interview at the end of the season. We don’t know if that meant Andy would take care of seeing fit that Hali gets more snaps by talking to DC Bob Sutton. Some people want to blame Andy Reid for Hali not getting on the field but that’s really Bob Sutton’s call. Not Reid’s. However, since Reid is the head coach, I’m sure that’s a conversation Reid has had with Sutton since season’s end. Does that mean anything will change? There are no guarantees. What else could Reid say? He’s obviously going to look into it. After all, Hali has been a warrior for the Chiefs ever since he came to K.C.
One reality that can’t be escaped is… Dee Ford is the future of the R-OLB position. In 2016, Ford had one sack every 80 snaps. Hali had a sack every 170 snaps. If you think that’s because Hali didn’t get enough snaps, that’s your right to think that way but the stats don’t bear that out.
Some people want to take the Tamba’s Twitternado and use it to paint a picture that “ALL IS NOT WELL” within the organization right now. Seth Keysor has this to say,
“This has been a weird, weird offseason. From the unexpected Jaye Howard release (seriously, surprising at the time) to the Jamaal Charles release (expected, but seemingly handled… roughly) to the REALLY unexpected Jeremy Maclin release to the REALLY REALLY REALLY unexpected John Dorsey firing… to this. I don’t know, it’s just becoming a bit difficult to believe that all is well within the organization at the moment.”
While I am not a fan of J.C. and Maclin and Howard and Dorsey being gone from the Chiefs ranks, that doesn’t necessarily mean that all is not well in Chiefs Kingdom. Besides, when have you ever known a team to be at peace with itself completely? In so many stories that you read and hear about teams that won it all, we’re surprised to find out later that the team was at odds with itself. Take Jerry Rice who once won the MVP of Super Bowl XXIII but it was Joe Montana that camera’s focused on when he said, “I’m going to Disneyland.” That privileged was, up to that point in time, reserved for the SB MVP. You may recall that Disney used to pay out a load of money to the MVP of the Super Bowl for repeating their “saying” right after the big game and Disney would use it for promotional advertising for months and years afterwards. Rice was part of one of the greatest teams ever… but unhappy? That’s right.
Consequently, if you were to tell me that the Chiefs had some unrest among the ranks… it wouldn’t be the worst news I ever heard. Great players are supposed to WANT TO PLAY… and that’s all I believe Hali was truly expressing here.
Some have expressed that there is dysfunction within the Chiefs organization because Clark Hunt is running the show and not a general manager. Is that what Hali is also expressing here? I doubt that Hali is doing that. However, that does not erase the question as to whether or not the Chiefs are fracturing at the seams.
The answer is: there is no BEST way to run an organization. There are tried-and-true ways… some would argue. However, the best way, is the way you feel comfortable running your organization. The “you” in this case is Clark Hunt.Clark watched hi father, Lamar, run the organization the same way for decades (Owner –> GM –> HC). Clark ran the team that way too for many years… but it didn’t work for him. Prior to 2013 when Clark Hunt changed the organizational structure, in 8 seasons under his management (with the GM in charge) the team’s record was 48-and-80. Since making both the GM and the HC report to him directly, the teams has gone 43-and-21.
Whether we, as fans, agree or disagree with Clark Hunt, it’s now clear that he believes, “It’s my way, or the highway.” With John Dorsey’s departure, it’s been argued that, Andy Reid has taken control of the team because having both the GM and the HC report directly to the CEO pits the GM and the HC against each other. While it looks like Clark Hunt has bought into the… Andy Reid way of running the coaching end of things by extending his contract… by cutting ties with John Dorsey, Hunt has essentially said, “No more” to the moves that John Dorsey made, such as cutting J.C and Howard and Maclin.
When someone gets fired and the public is left guessing why, all sorts of wild tales are conjured but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the organization is crumbling before our very eyes. It just means we’re in the dark… and some people don’t like cheering in the dark. If I had my druthers, I’d like Hunt to announce the why-oh-whys of the firing of Dorsey… but I think we’ll find out little when new GM Brett Veach is announced publicly this week.
“Questioning” is a natural phenomena of being a fan but, assuming there are inner-conflicts within an organization because a player of Tamba Hali’s stature is questioning why he’s not getting more playing time… doesn’t make sense.
Jamaal Charles and Jaye Howard and Jeremy Maclin being cut… is on Dorsey. Dorsey being fired… you could argue, is also on Dorsey. So, where’s the inner-conflict in that. You may not like that the head coach and the GM both report directly to the CEO but what it means functionally is that Kansas City has an owner who is more involved in the daily processes of team management than other owners (fortunately, Hunt doesn’t want to be like Jerry Jones and hold the GM role too).
It’s been said that Andy Reid has manipulated Clark Hunt and John Dorsey was the odd man out. The reality is, Andy Reid has stated that he does not want more power, the kind of power that controls the acquisition of players. He self-admittedly failed in that arena while in Philadelphia. So, was Reid hoping he could get his man Veach inserted into the GM position? That would take more than a little manipulation. Remember, after Hunt made his organizational changes back in Jan of 2013, he had GM Scott Pioli in on the decision to hire Reid, then turned around and let Pioli go. That’s a self-confident owner who isn’t going to be hoodwinked by a head coach dancing the power-grab.
Sure, Reid was likely consulted when the hiring of Veach was considered. But the idea that Andy Reid had Hunt in his spell, and convinced him to have Dorsey ousted and then beguiled Hunt so that he’d ignore all the other GM applicants and insert Veach sounds like an imaginative social engineering novel at it’s fictional best. After all, why? Because Andy Reid really wants more power? If anything, Hunt took a note about Reid being instrumental in Veach’s career and thought that would be a positive. What Hunt was likely looking for in Veach — aside from a good scouting mind — was someone who could help balance the cap.
Reid may be doing Tamba Hali a disfavor by not making sure he gets more snaps. Then again. maybe not. In the meantime, it doesn’t mean the organization has gone to help-in-hand-basket…. if you know what I mean?!
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