Dante Hall

How could Dante not end up in our Hall of Fame in 2004? The last 6 months he has taken the NFL by storm where he his now regarded as one of the most exciting and popular players not just in Kansas City but in the whole league. How did this happen?

Damieon (or Dante to use his middle name) was always a success on the football in high school and college. Despite playing in only 7 games due to a knee injury as a senior (still rushing for over 900 yards), he was a heavily recruited running back out of Nimitz High School in Houston and stayed in state when he enrolled at Texas A&M to play college football. He was an instant hit as a freshman in 1996 (being named Conference Offensive Freshman of the Year), rushing 92 times for 642 yards and three touchdowns, as well as setting a single-season school record for punt return yardage (573 yards). In 1997, he saw more action at running back (134 rushes for 973 yards and 9 TD's) and was named second-team all-conference running back and return specialist. Hall helped lead the Aggies into the Cotton Bowl against UCLA, and his 74-yard TD run gave them an early 16-0 lead, but the Bruins came back behind QB Cade McNown and won 29-23. In 1998 he cracked the 1,000-yard barrier rushing for 1,024 yards and 8 Td's on 243 carries and helped the Aggies clinch a BCS Berth in the Sugar Bowl. But despite a 9-yard TD run from Hall to give them an early 7-0 lead, the Buckeyes dominated the rest of the way and won 24-14. Hall looked primed for a great senior year but alas it never took shape through a combination of injuries and alleged parking violations. With 2 games left in the season coach R.C. Slocum dismissed Hall from the team citing disciplinary reasons. Injuries had limited him to just 179 yards and two touchdowns on 53 attempts all year.

Photo credit: Texas A&M

Dante in action in the 1998 Sugar Bowl

He wound up as the Aggies seventh all-time leading rusher (finishing with 2,818 yards on 522 attempts including 22 touchdowns) and second all-time in all-purpose years (4,707). However the NFL scouts were convinced he was too small (5'8") and lacking in strength to be a running back in the NFL. This combined with his poor senior season, including his dismissal from the team, and it appeared Dante would be a late round prospect at best. However Kansas City had a dire need for a return specialist, and used their 5th round pick (153th overall) on Hall in the 2000 NFL Draft.

In his rookie season, a back injury delayed his NFL debut until Week 4. Although he didn't set the world on fire in his 1st game at Denver, he showed enough promise to justify the Chiefs selection, returning 5 kickoffs for 108 yards. The next week he made his home debut - on Monday Night Football versus the Seahawks. And the Cheddarheads were there to see it, as Hall ran back 3 kicks for 81 yards including a 36-yard return. (Trivia - The 36-yard return was captured on handycam by Preston and later used by Sky Sports in their video diary on the Cheddrheads Cheddar-lenium tour in December 2000). Dante played 3 more games his rookie year, before being made a game day inactive the final 8 games of the year as the Chiefs finished 7-9 bringing the Gunther Cunningham era to a close. He finished with 17 kickoffs for 358 yards (21.1 avg.) and six punt returns for 37 yards (6.2 avg.)

Our first glimpse on Dante (then #20) was in home debut on Monday Night Football versus the Seahawks in 2000

Dick Vermeil was hired to be the new Chiefs coach in 2001, and he decided that Dante should come to NFL Europe to try and learn wide receiver, becoming more than just the special teams player he currently was. Sent over to Scotland in the spring of 2001, he also found a new coaching regime at the Claymores where Gene Dahlquist had taken over from Jim Criner. At training camp in Tampa, his skills were evident and the Cheddarheads snapped him up with the 12th pick of the fan draft in 2001. It didn't take Dante long to make an impact in Scotland. He scored a TD on the Claymores 1st offensive play of 2001, catching a short hitch pass from QB Clint Stoerner and darting into the end zone for a 6 yard TD. However the Claymore offense would struggle much of that season, especially when a injury limited Dante mid-season. However he still showed his playmaking skills, leading the team with 5 touchdowns. He ended up being ranked sixth in the league with 34 receptions and was eighth with 462 yards. Although he never took a kick or punt back for a TD, he still led the league with 26 kickoff returns for 635 yards (24.4 avg.) and was 2nd in punt returns with 15 for 177 yards (11.8 avg.). His 1,286 combined net yards was 2nd in the league.

Back with the Chiefs later in 2001, Dante continued to develop as a player (appearing in 5 games on offense for the 1st game), finishing 9th in the AFC in kickoff returns (43 for 969 yards and a 22.5-yard avg), as well returning 32 punts for 235 yards (7.3 avg.) and having his 1st two rushing attempts for 10 yards. Although it wasn't quite the breakout season he was capable of, this pattern was not unusual for players who played in NFL Europe in the spring of that year. Generally they just 'survive' their 1st NFL season back, and start to make an impact in later seasons. For Dante this would be exactly the case.

In training camp in 2002, Vermeil challenged Hall to take the next step. During the summer however it appeared that Dante was on the bubble, as his roster spot was being threatened by fellow diminutive WR/KR and Claymore JJ Moses who was having a great camp. However Dante rose to the challenge and not only made the roster but set about embarking on a Pro Bowl season. It all started in Week 1 in Cleveland where the Chiefs pulled out a thrilling win, not least thanks to Dante's contributions (7 kickoff returns for 192 yards - both career highs). He also ran twice for 14 yards and caught his 1st NFL pass for 4 yards. Partly due to injuries, the Chiefs started to rely on Dante more as a receiver as the season progressed and he rewarded them with several big plays - the first of these being a weaving 60-yard reception against the Jets for his 1st NFL touchdown.

Then came December. Against the Cardinals in a 49-0 romp he returned a career-best six punts for a career-high 128 yards (21.3 avg.) including his first career return score on a 90-yard return. One week later in a 49-10 win over the Rams he went one better - returning a kickoff 88 yards for a TD and a punt returns 86 yards for a TD earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honours for his efforts. (He became one of just 21 players in NFL history to record two kick returns for TDs in a single game and the only Chiefs player to accomplish that feat). The next week in Denver when the Chiefs fell behind in a must win game at Denver, Dante was even more spectacular leading a furious fight back that fell agonizingly short. Down 14-0 in the 3rd quarter he scored on a career-long 75-yard reception to get KC on the board. Then with the score 31-14 Denver in the 4th quarter, he produced an electrifying 49-yard TD catch in which he stopped, started and shifted numerous times to dodge several defenders en route to the end zone in all-time classic play. Despite his career-best 5 passes for a career-high 143 yards (28.6 avg.) and 2 TDs the Chiefs fell 31-24 and their playoff hopes evaporated. Thanks to his late season surge however Dante was selected to his first Pro Bowl as a kick returner. He ended the year with a team-record 57 kickoff returns for 1,354 yards (23.8 avg.) and 1 TD, 29 punt returns for a career-high 390 yards (13.4 avg.) and 2 TDs. On offense he added 11 carries for 54 yards (4.9 avg.) and 20 receptions for 322 yards (16.1 avg.) with 3 Td's

Dante's Scotland Scrapbook

Although the streak stopped the next week in Green Bay (barely), Dante still had his share of big plays the rest of the season - despite some teams all but refusing to kick to him. When the Cheddarheads touched down in Kansas City in Week 8, Dante was there to make sure the Chiefs went to 8-0. His 67-yard TD catch from Trent Green opened KC's scoring and set them on their way to a 38-5 romp.

We were there in Week 8 for Dante's 67 yard TD catch

However it would prove to be Dante's last visit to the end zone during the regular season. Perhaps missing his magical touch, the Chiefs stumbled down the stretch finishing 5-3. In his 1st playoff game versus the Colts, Dante did find the endzone again - twice (on a 9 yard pass and a 92 yard kick return). However the Chiefs D had no answer to Peyton Manning and Dante could only watch as the Colts offense controlled the game and won 38-31.

Despite the loss, Dante had had one hell of a year. He led the NFL in punt returns (29 for 472 - a 16.3 average) and was 4th in kick returns (57 for 1,478 yards - a 25.9 average). On offense he doubled his catches in 2003 to 40 (for 423 yards and 1 TD) and added 17 rushes for 66 yards. It all added up to an amazing 2,439 combined yards (a team record), and not surprisingly he made his 2nd Pro Bowl.

Dante has always been happy to sign for us

As the season was progressing, we had hoped that we would see Dante in Houston at the Super Bowl. Even though the Chiefs bid fell short we still caught up with him and it's good to know he hasn't forgotten his short time in Scotland. Welcome to the Hall of Fame Dante!

Welcome to the Hall of Fame Dante!

Don't forget to check out Dante's website - www.xfactor82.com

Great Dante NFLE Moments

Week 1 vs Frankfurt: Only 1 catch for 5 yards - but it was a touchdown. Furthermore it was the on the Claymores 1st offensive play of the year, the only time this has ever happened.

Week 3 vs Berlin: At 1-2, the team needed this game badly. And the offense needed a big day as it hadn't produced a TD drive longer than 5 yards in the 1st 3 weeks of the season. It was Dante to the rescue as they knocked the eventual World Bowl winners 28-21 in a thriller. Dante caught a season high 9 passes for 109 yards and 2 TD's. The last one from 28 yards with only 1:16 came on a 3rd and 13 and saw Dante shake off several tackles en route to the end zone.

Week 7 at Berlin: Another must win against Berlin but this time the Claymores fall short 27-19 but Dante torches the Thunder again. After Berlin score a TD on their 1st drive, Dante fields the kickoff and returns it to the 26 yard line. A false start negates the Claymores 1st play, but on the next QB Clint Stoerner heaves the ball deep and Dante is there to catch it for a spectacular 79 yard TD - the longest ever by a Claymores wide receiver. (Only RB Jesse Haynes 86 yard TD catch and run in 1999 also in Berlin was longer). He finished with 6 catches for 108 yards and 1TD - his 2nd 100 yard game of the season (both vs. Thunder).

Week 9 at Barcelona: Yes it was another unremarkable loss in Spain (26-7), ending 2001's faint World Bowl hopes. Dante provided the Claymores only score of the day on a 7 yard pass from Clint Stoerner, but is best remembered by another play. Earlier on the TD drive, Stoerner rolled out right and broke from the pocket. Dante seeing Clint scramble then peeled off 2 Dragon defenders simultaneously with a terrific block. Stoerner scrambled for 25 yards, and 2 plays later the Claymores were in the end zone. What's the other notable feature about this play? It's probably the 2nd most famous Claymore statistical screw-up as Dante actually got credited with a 25 yard rush on the play! (The other famous screw up is the phantom George Coghill catch that Yo Murphy lost in 1996).