No. 78 on the #PFFAllDecade101@TambaHali91 pic.twitter.com/68m7SlJeCK
— PFF (@PFF) May 11, 2020
No. 78 – OLB Tamba Hali
“Before J.J.Watt came along, Tamba Hali owned the record for the most total pressures registered in a single season, posting 97 back in 2010. Including the playoffs, Hali got up to 103 pressures that year, which still ranks as one of the most prolific pass-rushing performances we have ever graded at PFF. That season marked the high-point in Hali’s career, a level that he never quite got back to. However, he was a consistently productive pass rusher for years before seeing a decline in the last few seasons of his career. At his best, Hali was one of the most unstoppable pass rushers in the game.“
Hali was a monster on the field for Kansas City for many seasons. He was a student of the game, mastering hand-fighting techniques to better get to the quarterback. From 2011-2015, Hali made five consecutive Pro Bowl appearances. He never dipped below six sacks during that time period and never had less than 11 QB hits. He also recorded 15 forced fumbles during that timeframe.
Hali is certainly deserving of this praise and probably doesn’t get enough credit for the dominance he displayed in his career. While Hali hasn’t yet officially retired, it’s hard to see the 36-year-old pass rusher returning to football. He has a flourishing music career, but one day maybe we’ll see him grace the field again as a coach.