Hall: Many happy returns
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The mayor told people to evacuate while Dante Hall was home in Houston this week, playing Madden 2006 with his buddies, locked away with no television, no newspaper, no distractions.
He turned 27 on Tuesday. He dominated the video games that day. Then his mom announced she was leaving soon for Denver to watch her son’s Monday night game.
“I was like, ‘Why’s she going this early?’ ” asked Hall, who was oblivious to the oncoming hurricane. “And I flipped on the TV and saw all these cars leaving and looked outside.
“I thought, ‘Oh, man, the world’s going to pass me by if I don’t stop playing all these video games.’ “
Blink for a second, and Hall may pass you by.
He’s quirky, this 5-foot-8 return specialist who ate Subway on Thursday as his teammates devoured his birthday cake.
He’s maddening. Hall did it again Sunday, sprinting and bouncing 84 yards for an apparent punt return touchdown at Oakland.
The play was called back – the Chiefs were flagged for an illegal block in the back – but Hall still had 176 yards on 11 touches.
He hasn’t even played Denver yet. Mention the Broncos, and Hall gets this special twinkle in his eye. Remember 2003? The 93-yard punt return that was the game winner? Or last year’s 97-yard kickoff return?
Broncos coach Mike Shanahan does. Shanahan was as chatty as a librarian in his teleconference this week, but then Hall’s name came up.
“Every time he touches the ball, he’s got a chance to go the distance,” Shanahan said. “I got a chance to watch that return he had (Sunday). It was just a shame that there was a clip. But that was a great run. He’s just one of those guys that you’ve got to get everybody around him. Because he can go the distance any time.”
Hall said he’s energized, and not just because of Kansas City’s 2-0 start. He’s had way more rest this September. Last season, injuries to receivers forced Hall to take starting reps at the X and Y spots in practice in addition to his work on special teams.
“It definitely wore me out,” he said.
Hall went back and studied film of his early-season performance in 2004. He’d see things he normally wouldn’t do, such as catching the ball on the 1 and taking a knee. He made mistakes because he was tired.
The Chiefs’ coaches have never wanted to bog down Hall with a full receiver workload. Because of his size, and the fact that he expends so much energy on his returns, they can’t.
In last Sunday’s win at Oakland, Hall took back four kickoffs for 136 yards, four punts for 32 yards and caught one pass for 15 yards. The aborted 84-yard return was the most impressive play of the night. He appeared to be tackled near midfield but spun around without leaving his feet while his defender lay on the ground.
After the touchdown was called back, Hall said to special-teams coach Frank Gansz Jr. that it was OK.
“I don’t plan on that one being my last one,” Hall told him.
Hall has had nine combined kick-return touchdowns, which ties him for third all time in the NFL behind Brian Mitchell (13) and Eric Metcalf (12). Hall is in his sixth NFL season.
“I think it’s one of the toughest jobs in football,” Chiefs receiver Chris Horn said. “You’re on an island, just looking up at the ball. You’ve got to trust that everyone around you is taking care of you. You’re completely vulnerable to big hits, guys who have 40-yard head starts to build up momentum and get a good shot on you. It’s one of the toughest jobs, and he’s the best at it.”
Hall won’t say whether he’s better than 2003, when he was all the rage in the NFL with four touchdown returns. He said he’s only as good as the people around him.
But it’s obvious he’s thought about Denver and all the good times he’s had against the Mile High gang. He said return specialists dream of taking the opening kickoff for a touchdown as he did last year against the Broncos.
He doubted the Broncos will try to kick away from him.
“That’s their attitude,” Hall said. “They’re the big, bad Broncos, so I’m not surprised at all. I hope they continue to keep kicking it to me.”
At least he won’t spend the week worrying about Houston. His family has evacuated in anticipation of Hurricane Rita. Some of them will be in Denver on Monday night.
This one could get more interesting than Madden 2006.
“I don’t know what it is about (Denver),” Hall said. “For some reason I tend to have great success against them. I just hope it doesn’t end this week. I hope the streak continues.”