During the month of July, the Last Word On Sports NFL department will determine which three players deserve to be considered the faces of each franchise. For this series, we will only consider active players. In this edition, the Kansas City Chiefs are the focus.
Faces of the Kansas City Chiefs
Jamaal Charles
You know your running back is something special when 1,033 rushing yards is considered a slow year on the ground. The only two years when Jamaal Charles had less than 1,000 rushing yards were 2008, his rookie year, when he was backing up Larry Johnson, and 2011, when he missed fifteen games with an ACL tear.
Charles has that rare combination of speed and vision that make him a nightmare to bring to the ground. His 5’11”, 205-pound frame isn’t the type that can knock linebackers on the ground, but his ability to use blocks, see the field, and hit holes at top speed makes size a non-issue. When he is not taking handoffs, he is one of the best receiving backs in the game. Having Jeremy Maclin in the picture this year will keep defenses more honest than they were in 2014, when the Chiefs had a pitiful wide receiver stable. The presence of a deep threat will open up options for Alex Smith and opportunities for Charles.
Justin Houston
As the young gun of the Kansas City Chiefs outside linebackers, Justin Houston led the league in sacks last season with 22. His last three seasons culminated in Pro Bowl appearances with ten or more sacks in each season. Earlier in the offseason, the Chiefs placed a non-exclusive franchise tag on him worth just under $13.2 million, but he has yet to sign.
Recent reports indicate that he wants more money, and while there is some talk between Houston and the organization, they are nowhere close to reaching a deal. The deadline for a long-term contract for Houston is July 15th. While nobody can see the future, the Kansas City Chiefs will almost surely have him around in 2015; it’s ludicrous to imagine a team not bringing back a Pro Bowl outside linebacker who lead the league in sacks and is just 26 years old.
Tamba Hali
The 32-year-old veteran outside linebacker had just six sacks in 2014, which was the second lowest total in nine professional seasons. He made plenty of tackles, with 59 total, but the lack of sacks was concerning. As previously noted, however, Justin Houston more than carried his weight, leading the league in the sack category. Despite his low sack total, Hali and Houston were still among the elite pass rushing duos in the NFL and Hali was also selected to the Pro Bowl.
Hali has made each of the past five Pro Bowls and has 79.5 career sacks. There was some talk of Hali being released early in the offseason to free up money, but in order to stick around, he restructured his contract. He also underwent a minor surgical operation on his knee to repair some cartilage. He has indicated that his knee feels comfortable and those within the Chiefs’ organization believe he will be ready to go in time for training camp.
Hali’s solid rookie season back in 2006, in which he totaled eight sacks, earned him praise with fans and the media alike. His story of growing up in civil war torn Liberia before coming to the United States also made him a favorite. Unfortunately, 7.5 sacks in 2007 and just three sacks in 2008 had some fans arguing that he had quickly burnt out. Sure enough, in each of the following five years, his sack totals were over eight. Hali has the kind of character and work ethic NFL coaches and general managers search for, and the story of his dream to bring his mother to the U.S. from Liberia has endeared him to fans for years.
Honorable Mention: Eric Berry
Strong safety Eric Berry gets his name unofficially on this list. Drafted fifth overall in 2010, Berry has played three Pro Bowl seasons for the Chiefs, but missed almost all of 2011 with a torn ACL. His 2014 season was eventful to say the least. An ankle injury sustained in September kept him out until halfway through the season and then in December, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, which ended his season. He has completed treatment successfully as of the end of May, but a battle with cancer destroys a person and as such, his status for 2015 is uncertain. Nonetheless, he is one of the most talented and well-liked safeties in the league. If he can get back to an NFL standard of fitness in good time, a return to action for 2015 is not out of the question.
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