Larry Johnson adds insight to Dante Hall’s legendary 2003 punt return

Longtime Kansas City Chiefs fans know the play well.

In Week 5 of 2003, the Denver Broncos, leading 23-17 in the fourth quarter at Arrowhead Stadium, punted away to the “Human Joystick” Dante Hall.

You know the rest.

Hall went west and east and west and south and east before finally darting up NORTH for the 93-yard punt-return touchdown. The score tied the record for the longest punt return in NFL history, and the Chiefs beat the Broncos, 24-23, to start the season 5-0.

“I thought, ‘Oh, I’ve got to get out of this jam,’“ Hall said, via the ‘other’ AP, at the time. ”The first part of that return was not smart at all ... I caught it maybe on the 8, then I retreated back to the 5, then the 2. I got dumber and dumber and dumber.”

But on TUESDAY, JUNE 19, 2018, we got some additional insight:

“I was beside myself I was so excited for him,” head coach Dick Vermeil said. “I said to myself, ‘Oh, Dante, don’t go backwards.’“

Thanks for the clarification, LJ.