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Kansas City Chiefs Official Team Website | Chiefs.com

Pre-Camp Reads: Tamba Hali Ready for 12th Season as a Chief

Hali was rated the 12th best linebacker in the league last year by PFF

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Where has the time gone?

Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Tamba Hali will enter his 12th season in the league in 2017, after a 2016 campaign that saw a dip in snap percentage by design.

According to numbers from Pro Football Focus, the 33-year old played in 50.6 percent of snaps in 2016 after playing in 79.2 percent in 2015. Before that, Hali had played in 91 percent or more for six straight seasons.

Even with the dip, Hali still managed 3.5 sacks in 2016, while hurrying the quarterback 36 times.

When Dee Ford couldn't play (hamstring) in a key matchup with Denver Week 12, Hali played the most in any game all season, registering 79 snaps (98.8 percent) on defense. His sack in the initial Broncos drive of the overtime period would help lead the Chiefs to an eventual 30-27 victory.

Pro Football Focus rated Hali the 13th best outside linebacker in the league for the 2016 season.

Quotable:

Andy Reid on Hali's leadership among others in the locker room during OTAs:"There's not a lot of complaining going on or, 'why are we doing this,' or 'why are we doing that.' It's low maintenance and let's go play. Some of that is headed up by your leaders – the Eric Berry's, Alex Smith, Justin Houston, Tamba [Hali], they just tell us what we're going to go do and we do it. There's just not a lot of questions, that's not how this group roles."

2017 Outlook: Hali, along with Derrick Johnson, will continue to mentor a young Chiefs linebacker corps, while providing production when he's asked by the Chiefs coaching staff.

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