Over the past few years, Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach has gotten younger at the defensive end position. The group remains mostly youthful entering 2024, especially with 26-year-old Mike Danna re-signed and 26-year-old Charles Omenihu working his way back from a torn ACL.
A large reason why is the investment of first-round picks in George Karlaftis (2022) and Felix Anudike-Uzomah (2023). As those players advance in their NFL careers, they're getting a boost from a Kansas City legend.
Over the weekend, longtime Chiefs pass rusher Tamba Hali got news that he's being inducted into the club's Hall of Fame and Ring of Honor. He's known for making plays on the field for over a decade, but he's also taken both young players under his wing a bit. According to Hali, having an opportunity to impact the next generation of Chiefs is something he takes pride in.
“For me, it brings joy," Hali said. "It feels like I’m always part of the team. Coaching is hard. I wouldn’t wish it on people to go coach. It’s hard. These guys are here early, and they leave (late). I want to give back somehow, and I live in the community. Working with George and working with Felix. I knew where they are in their career. When I got here, it was hard on me to try to figure out how to play the position, not just from the left side but from the right side and all the different techniques they’re asking us. The coaches’ jobs here are not to teach you technique, you should already know and that’s not the case with the guys coming into the league, especially with our defensive linemen."
In just two short years, Karlaftis already has 16.5 sacks and 28 quarterback hits to his name. Last season, he crossed the double-digit sack threshold for the first time and complemented that with 17 quarterback hits and plenty of pressures. He evolved into a more consistent force both against the pass and run, breaking out in his age-22 campaign.
Anudike-Uzomah, on the other hand, has been a slow-burning prospect thus far. He played some decent snaps as a rookie but once Omenihu returned from suspension, the Kansas State product didn't see the field much at all. He finished his debut season with just half a sack and 218 defensive snaps played (20% of those available). With year No. 2 on the horizon, Kansas City's hope is he takes a leap of sorts with more experience under his belt.
Fine-tuning things with Hali is a fantastic way to start. Hali believes the experience helps mentally just as much as physically, allowing both players to continue learning from someone who's been in their shoes before.
"Working with those guys, it opens up their eyes when you bring them in the room and there’s a guy 160 pounds and they can’t get out, you know, a guy is mounted on top of him and he weighs that much and he can’t get out – 280 (pounds) can’t get out," Hali said. "It brings a different mindset that you know you can’t overlook. You can’t just feel like you’re the best. You have to work at your craft and grow in it."
Karlaftis caught on quickly — it's time for his teammate to follow suit.
"George did a tremendous job," Hali said. "He was very ambitious last year. He came and we worked. Felix is in there every morning now and we’re grappling, doing handwork and they’re beat. I always ask them, ‘Which lineman in the National Football League is fighting at six a.m. every morning?’ So there’s a beast that’s growing in them that they’ll realize when they get on the field what it really means to play for this organization because it’s an opportunity."
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