Little Big Man: The Phenomenon That Was Dante Hall | CPT PPP Coverage

Hall would go on to garner four straight AFC Special Teams Player of the Week awards and, with them, the continued attention of opposing coaches as they were forced to make detailed plans to defend the smallest Chief.

“Free advice,” advised columnist Bernie Lincicome, “don’t kick the ball to No. 82. You don’t tug on Superman’s cape. You don’t spit in the wind. And you don’t dare Hall of the Kansas City Chiefs to beat you.”

“Is there any reason to kick the ball to Dante Hall,” asked one reporter to the Raiders’ Charles Woodson? “No,” he replied defiantly.

In the period of two months, Dante Hall had provoked media superlatives seldom heard for a return specialist. His punt return against Denver was the plague to end all plagues and had, in the words of one reporter, “become [baseball’s Mark] McGwire’s equal, at least on the football field,” a player who could send a stadium into shivers or cheers by his mere presence.”

Soon everywhere he went he was swarmed by people in search of an autograph. Everyone wanted a piece of Dante Hall.