Linebacker Tamba Hali has been around the NFL long enough to know that how much you’re paid can have as much to do with your spot on a roster as how good you are on the field.
That means Hali knows that his $11.9 million cap hit and $8.75 million in salary and roster bonus work against him when it comes to playing for the Chiefs in 2015. Hali wants to stay with the team, though, and was about as clear as he could be regarding his willingness to adjust his contract to a point where it made financial sense for the Chiefs to hold onto him.
“At this stage of my career, it isn’t about money,” Hali said on “The Drive” with Danny Parkins and Carrington Harrison on Sports Radio 610, via the Kansas City Star. “The Kansas City Chiefs have taken care of me, financially. I have some good people in my corner that have positioned me to be able to live a lifestyle a lot of people won’t be able to live. So I’m not one of those guys who gets all bent out of shape over money. I love playing the game, I want to win a championship in Kansas City. If money is going to be a hindrance in doing that, we’ll find a way.”
The Chiefs have Justin Houston coming up on free agency and may have to use the franchise tag to keep him, so the cap space provided by a Hali release or salary adjustment would be vital to the team’s offseason plans. They also have 2014 first-round pick Dee Ford on hand to fill in should they find that cutting Hali’s pay is less appealing than moving on altogether.
