SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame inducted Kansas City Chiefs pass rusher Tamba Hali on Wednesday.
Hali was among the best pass rushers in Kansas City Chiefs history, doing so years after escaping the war-torn West African country of Liberia at age 10 and making a new home in the United States.
A first-round draft pick in 2006 out of Penn State University, he spent his entire National Football League career with the Chiefs, covering 12 seasons (2006-2017) and helping the team to six playoff berths. He is second only to the legendary Derrick Thomas (126.5) in career sacks (89.5) and ahead of Neil Smith’s 85.5 and Justin Houston’s 78.5. Thomas (MSHOF 2021) and Smith (MSHOF 2008) have been inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. A six-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time All-Pro, Hali also forced 33 fumbles, second only to Thomas’ 45 and four more than Smith’s 29. Additionally, Hali started at least 15 games every season from 2006 to 2014 and started 14 in 2015.
At Penn State, Hali was a consensus NCAA All-American in 2005 and was part of the Orange Bowl team that beat Florida State 26-23 in three overtimes. In 2006, he earned his U.S. citizenship.