Tamba Hali was just 22 years old when the Chiefs made him the 20th overall pick in the 2006 draft. Fifteen years later, Hali has signed a one-day contract with the team in order to retire as a member of the Kansas City organization.
A native of Liberia, Hali burst into the NFL with the Chiefs following a breakout senior season at Penn State. During his 12 seasons in Kansas City, the former defensive end/outside linebacker recorded 89.5 sacks, tied with Neil Smith for the second-highest total in franchise history. His best season took place in 2010, when Hali recorded a career-high 14.5 sacks along with four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 12 tackles for loss.
A Pro Bowl snub that season, Hali earned five consecutive Pro Bowl nods from 2011-15. His 11 sacks during the 2013 season helped Kansas City clinch a playoff berth during Andy Reid's first season as the team's coach. That season, Hali scored touchdowns via interception and fumble returns while helping Kansas City boast the league's fifth-ranked scoring defense. Hali recorded two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in the Chiefs' wild-card playoff loss to the Ravens.
After injuries limited him to just five games in 2017, Hali was released by the Chiefs during that ensuing offseason. Hali also did a bit of foreshadowing that offseason when he compared Patrick Mahomes -- who had made just one NFL start at that point -- to Brett Favre during an appearance on "Good Morning Football."
One of the Chiefs' most respected players during his playing days, Hali served as a mentor to outside linebacker Justin Houston, who earned four consecutive Pro Bowl selections with Hali as his teammate.
"He's the reason why my career has improved so much," Houston said of Hali during a 2013 interview with The Guardian. "He taught me pretty much everything I know in the pass rushing game, he taught me how to rush the tackles, how to read the tackles. The pass rush, it was all him."