Tamba Hali Received No Votes For NFL Defensive Player Of The Year

by Chris Thorman on Feb 1, 2011 1:45 PM CST in 2010 Kansas City Chiefs Season

Each year since 1971, the Associated Press has awarded NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors to the most outstanding defensive player in the NFL. In 2011, despite some premature predictions that Green Bay Packers LB Clay Matthews would win, Pittsburgh Steelers S Troy Polamalu took home the award.

Kansas City Chiefs LB Tamba Hali was one of the 18 nominees. Nearly the NFL sack champion, I never thought Hali would actually win the award over say a Matthews or Polamalu. But, like with many of these national awards that are considering Chiefs players, I was simply looking for some more recognition.

Unfortunately, Tamba Hali was one of 11 nominees who received no votes. Zip. Zero.

Per Pro Football Talk, here's how the votes broke down:

Polamalu received 17 of 50 votes. Matthews got 15. Steelers linebacker James Harrison received eight, Bears defensive end Julius Peppers got six, Bears middle linebacker Brian Urlacher received two, Ravens safety Ed Reed got one, and Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata got one.

Like I said, I didn't expect Hali to even come close to winning this award. But I think he was deserving of at least one vote, no? What do you think? Was Hali deserving of at least one vote for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year?

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Another Passover - they will soon recongnize the chiefs organization

We need BEEF; This is my mock prediction 2011

1. Houston LB - Georgia
2. Moffit G - Wisconsin
3. Powe NT - Ol' Miss
4. O'Dowd C - USC
5. Carter S - Oklahoma
6. V. Brown WR - San Diego State
7. Taua RB - Nevada

by Mas Cervezas on Feb 1, 2011 1:47 PM CST via mobile reply actions

No, those other players are pretty dominating; more so than Hali.

by kc571 on Feb 1, 2011 1:58 PM CST reply actions

What concerns me

How the hell did Peppers get six votes? Also, who gets to vote for these awards? Redonkulous.

F*ck KU and f*ck the Donkeys. CATS and CHIEFS all day baby!!!

by WormBurners on Feb 1, 2011 1:59 PM CST reply actions

I agree

Peppers was definitely a good pickup but his season in general was horribly overrated.

"Success is never ending, failure is never final."

by GenericBrand on Feb 1, 2011 2:09 PM CST up reply actions

Not at all

He didn’t have the flashy stats, but you can’t watch a Chicago game and not tell where he was at all times. He’s a certifiable gamechanger. Would I have given him a vote over Tamba? Probably not but it doesn’t change the fact that he was a beast.

Trapped in the past, Craig finds himself leaping from blog to blog, putting things right that once went wrong, and hoping each time that his next leap will be the leap home.

by craig in calgary on Feb 1, 2011 2:21 PM CST up reply actions

I agree

Peppers had a big impact even though his sack numbers were down.

I love my wife, my kids, and the Chiefs. In that order. Except on game days.

by MNchiefsfan on Feb 1, 2011 6:29 PM CST up reply actions

I agree... but

Much like Hali, his stats alone didn’t speak to what he was able to do on the field. He didn’t put up gaudy sack numbers but he was disruptive and was constantly applying pressure – though he didn’t top Hali in that area either.

I think he got his votes on name alone – he certainly didn’t do better than Urlacher, Reed (in his limited play time he did a ton) and certainly not Hali and some of the others listed.

I don’t know if they’d even have him in the finalist list if his name weren’t Julius Peppers.

by Ochophosphate on Feb 1, 2011 2:14 PM CST up reply actions

Green Bay changed their game plan after their left tackle went out. They did that for one reason, Peppers. He IS a game changer.

by kc571 on Feb 1, 2011 5:09 PM CST up reply actions

No votes was obvious I think

by danmang on Feb 1, 2011 2:02 PM CST reply actions

Blasphemous!

but that is a pretty good bunch of players on the list.

by Chief Willie Wildcat on Feb 1, 2011 2:11 PM CST reply actions

The people who vote on these kinds of thing just don't know muc about the Chiefs.

Hali isn’t a household name or a national media type name. Even though we were a playoff team, which you might think would get some more recognition our way, our playoff game wasn’t against a high profile team and his performance in that game was overshadowed by the lack of performance by everyone else. There’s always next year.

"Success is never ending, failure is never final."

by GenericBrand on Feb 1, 2011 2:11 PM CST reply actions

We'll get there

They’ll have to pay attention to us soon.

by Chief Willie Wildcat on Feb 1, 2011 2:13 PM CST up reply actions

HE HAS

more sacks, more forced fumbles, more qb pressures (im sure havent checked) and about the same amount of tackles as clay matthews and he didnt even get talked about? kinda disgusting that the best pass rusher in the league hasnt even really been noticed by the national media yet.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 2011-2012 SUPERBOWL CHAMPIONS!

by KCALLTHEWAY on Feb 1, 2011 2:19 PM CST reply actions

put away the blinders...

Clay is better than Hali period.

by worc on Feb 1, 2011 3:20 PM CST up reply actions

It's not blinders when he should have gotten one vote.

Everything is not about Chiefs homerism.

by kcgiant06 on Feb 1, 2011 5:29 PM CST up reply actions

Wow, really?

Maybe all around I’ll give Clay the vote but in terms of pass rushing HALI all day.

Jamaal Charles and Tamba Hali...Enough said.

by Chiefsfan85 on Feb 1, 2011 11:21 PM CST up reply actions

But then flip it

Matthews has more tackles, tackles for losses, Int’s, TDs, only 1 less sack and 2 less FF, and I believe he missed some games too. Can’t take anything away from Michael Myers that dudes a beast!

by KCinIL on Feb 1, 2011 5:14 PM CST up reply actions

pretty stupid for Hali not to get atleast one vote

The guy led the AFC in sacks, and could change the game at anytime. It was almost a given when he got to the qb he was gonna cause a fumble, he’s almost perfected the sack-n-strip the way DT did. I just hope Pioli signs him long term, it would really put our defense behind if he left in free agency.

by ChiefDailyBaked on Feb 1, 2011 2:21 PM CST reply actions

I blame week 17. really killed that bit of positive outlook that was left from outsiders when thinking of the chiefs

Team Pioli/Haley. Decade of the Chiefs.
Team Colquitt

by SDChief on Feb 1, 2011 8:38 PM CST up reply actions

those appear to be the 50 NUMBER ONE votes ... not overall

that is, 50 number one votes … usually ballots will have spots for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place and if so, it’s very possible he got SOME votes for 2nd or 3rd place (and I’d be shocked if he didn’t)

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hi, Mo! 5 minutes!!!

by upamtn on Feb 1, 2011 2:23 PM CST reply actions

Hali may have deserved a vote...but I don't think Polamalu deserved the win

I think Matthews should have won this – he apparently doesn’t do enough hair commercials.

Troy P is arguably the best S in the game, I can’t fault that. Other than 7 Int’s and the FF that won the game vs. Baltimore, he had a pretty standard season. One sack, one FF (as mentioned) and one TD. There’s several DBs that had better seasons than Troy did this year (cough cough, Devin McCourty – ROOKIE). Much like the Pro Bowl – this looks like a popularity contest, and it’s hard to argue against Troy in that arena.

So whatever… I can’t be upset that Hali didn’t get a vote – especially considering what a media-recluse he is. Perhaps if he had a bigger mouth, was with the media constantly and did commercials he’d get more votes. Until then he’ll have to be our little dark-horse of a bad-ass.

by Ochophosphate on Feb 1, 2011 2:24 PM CST reply actions

Devin McCourty didn't change offenses entire gameplans though

by KCinIL on Feb 1, 2011 5:09 PM CST up reply actions

I bet he lost some votes because of his lame sack dance.

Trapped in the past, Craig finds himself leaping from blog to blog, putting things right that once went wrong, and hoping each time that his next leap will be the leap home.

by craig in calgary on Feb 1, 2011 2:25 PM CST reply actions

u aint diggin the fairy dance?

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 2011-2012 SUPERBOWL CHAMPIONS!

by KCALLTHEWAY on Feb 1, 2011 2:26 PM CST up reply actions

Not at all.

He should have a bunch of rubber bats in his belt and when he sacks the QB he bites it’s head off and spits the dead carcass on the forelorn QB.

Trapped in the past, Craig finds himself leaping from blog to blog, putting things right that once went wrong, and hoping each time that his next leap will be the leap home.

by craig in calgary on Feb 1, 2011 2:28 PM CST up reply actions

that would be epic and amazing

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 2011-2012 SUPERBOWL CHAMPIONS!

by KCALLTHEWAY on Feb 1, 2011 2:29 PM CST up reply actions

and likely a 15 yard penalty

by upamtn on Feb 1, 2011 2:38 PM CST up reply actions

and definitely a 15 yard penalty

Fixed.

You think it's coincidence that I bleed red?

by Mully on Feb 1, 2011 2:43 PM CST up reply actions

and definitely worth a 15 yard penalty

Fixed.

Trapped in the past, Craig finds himself leaping from blog to blog, putting things right that once went wrong, and hoping each time that his next leap will be the leap home.

by craig in calgary on Feb 1, 2011 2:44 PM CST up reply actions

I hope the Baltimore game is a sign of things to come for Tamba.

Him going quietly about his business week after week is great but the passion and emotion he showed in the Baltimore game will take Tamba to a whole new level if he keeps it up.

"Success is never ending, failure is never final."

by GenericBrand on Feb 1, 2011 2:31 PM CST reply actions

this ^^^ the Marcus Allen rule: act like you've been there before ... I'm so sick of the stupid "dances" and juvenile "celebrations" for doing what they get PAID to do (and often getting burned on the very next play)

going quietly about his business week after week

by upamtn on Feb 1, 2011 2:40 PM CST up reply actions

Barry Sanders

Just give the ref the ball and head back to your sidelines

by KCinIL on Feb 1, 2011 5:18 PM CST up reply actions

agree

Team Pioli/Haley. Decade of the Chiefs.
Team Colquitt

by SDChief on Feb 1, 2011 8:37 PM CST up reply actions

This picture makes me smile.....

Someone needs to make this a video with Phyllis getting lit up from the blind side!

I will admit that Matt Cassel is not the "Franchise QB" that every fan hoped he would be when we traded for him. We don't have a better option so I say we ride this out, make a decision on 2011 after the season, and draft a freaking project QB!

by KC4Life on Feb 1, 2011 2:38 PM CST reply actions

He was probably about to throw a TD to some guy named Ajiratutu.

The 2nd SD game wasn’t alot of fun.

Trapped in the past, Craig finds himself leaping from blog to blog, putting things right that once went wrong, and hoping each time that his next leap will be the leap home.

by craig in calgary on Feb 1, 2011 2:44 PM CST up reply actions

Agreed

Just wish you wouldn’t have reminded me of that….

At least I can dream…..this picutre looks like Phyllis is about to get “laid out!”

by KC4Life on Feb 2, 2011 9:44 AM CST up reply actions

The best part

The sign behind Rivers says “Danger”….that is awesome!

QB’s…Drop back at your own risk!

"Nobody scares us," Dion Gales said. "Where I’m from, it ain’t how big or small a man is, it’s the size of the fight in them.

"I’ll be doggone if I let another man beat me, that’s just my attitude. I’m not scared of another man."

by Matt_Grbac on Feb 1, 2011 3:05 PM CST via mobile up reply actions

These idiots probably think a Tamba Hali is a Christmas decoration

by golfbard on Feb 1, 2011 2:49 PM CST reply actions

you mean Kwanza decoration

by worc on Feb 1, 2011 3:21 PM CST up reply actions

If

the Chiefs hadn’t played like the Cardinals for a handful of games, he may have gotten a vote or two. If the pro bowl wasn’t a popularity contest, B Waters wouldn’t have gotten in. The game is a joke, and make no mistake about it, Tamba should have been in.

"The best way to convince a fool that he is wrong is to let him have his way" Josh Billings
Kansas City Chiefs - 2020 Team of the Decade

by skunk420 on Feb 1, 2011 4:26 PM CST reply actions

Urlacher?

Gimme a break!

by KCinIL on Feb 1, 2011 5:08 PM CST reply actions

Yeah for popularity contests.

by kcgiant06 on Feb 1, 2011 5:24 PM CST reply actions

Not bothered by this...

Matthews is a force of nature, the other votes are from hometown homers for hometown stars.

Highlight of my football watching "career" was watching the 5 game parlay that put the Chiefs in the playoffs a few years ago..

by OhioChiefsFan on Feb 1, 2011 6:09 PM CST reply actions

not shocked. tad surprised that one random vote wasnt tossed his way

Team Pioli/Haley. Decade of the Chiefs.
Team Colquitt

by SDChief on Feb 1, 2011 8:36 PM CST reply actions

You know, I’m happy about this. This means that we can probably lock him up long term without making him the highest paid defensive player in the game. Being all around ignored by all the postseason awards probably deflates the ego of his agent a little bit, and will hopefully allow up to get him signed sooner rather then later

by Topchief1 on Feb 2, 2011 7:40 AM CST reply actions