DeAngelo Eugene Hall (born November 19, 1983) is an American professional
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
coach and former
defensive back
In gridiron football, defensive backs (DBs), also called the secondary, are the players on the defensive side of the ball who play farthest back from the line of scrimmage. They are distinguished from the other two sets of defensive players, the ...
who most recently served as the assistant defensive backs coach for the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...
of the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
(NFL). He played
college football
College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...
for the
Virginia Tech Hokies and was selected by the
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...
with the eighth overall pick in the
2004 NFL draft. Hall played half a season for the
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team based in Oakland, California, from its founding in 1960 to 1981, and again from 1995 to 2019 before Oakland Raiders relocation to Las Vegas, relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan ...
before being released and signed by the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
in 2008, playing for them until retiring following the 2017 season. In his 14 seasons playing in the NFL, he was a
cornerback
A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover Wide receiver, receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such Play from scrimmage, offensive running plays as sweep ...
for the majority of his career before switching to
free safety during his last few seasons.
Hall was invited to three
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players.
The format has changed ...
s in his career: two with the Falcons and one with the Redskins. In 2010, he tied an NFL record by recording four interceptions in a game against the
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...
, all of them in the second half. He also holds the NFL record for most fumble return yardage in a career, while his five career fumble return touchdowns ranks second behind
Jason Taylor. Following his playing career, he began working as an on-air football analyst for several networks and programs as well as on the radio broadcast team for the Washington Commanders.
Early life
Hall attended
Deep Creek High School in
Chesapeake, Virginia
Chesapeake is an independent city in Virginia, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 249,422, making it the second-most populous city in Virginia, the tenth largest in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 92nd-most populous city in the ...
, where he
lettered in
high school football
High school football, also known as prep football, is gridiron football played by High school (North America), high school teams in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular high school sports, interscholastic sports in both c ...
,
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
, and
track and field
Track and field (or athletics in British English) is a sport that includes Competition#Sports, athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name used in North America is derived from where the sport takes place, a ru ...
. At Deep Creek, he was a teammate of
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...
' linebacker
James Anderson and defensive end
Darryl Tapp, who all also played together at Virginia Tech.
Football
As a junior at Deep Creek High School, Hall averaged 9.8 yards a carry as a
running back
A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offense ...
and had seven interceptions as a cornerback. He was chosen as the district offensive and defensive player of the year and was a first-team pick as a defensive back on the All-Tidewater team.
As a senior, Hall scored 30 touchdowns and rushed for over 1,300 yards while averaging ten yards per carry. He also intercepted nine passes, posted over 100 tackles and had 16 tackles for loss. During his senior season, Hall helped lead Deep Creek to the state AAA Division Six championship game, which they lost 28–26, to
Centreville High School.
After his senior season, Hall earned all-district player of the year honors and was named to the all-district team as a running back,
defensive back
In gridiron football, defensive backs (DBs), also called the secondary, are the players on the defensive side of the ball who play farthest back from the line of scrimmage. They are distinguished from the other two sets of defensive players, the ...
and
return man.
He was also named Tidewater Player of the Year and the Norfolk Sports Club Player of the Year. The
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City.
Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...
picked him as a first-team Group AAA defensive back, and he was ranked the No. 2 player in
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
by
The Roanoke Times
''The Roanoke Times'' is the primary newspaper in Southwestern Virginia and is based in Roanoke, Virginia, United States. It is published by Lee Enterprises. In addition to its headquarters in Roanoke, it maintains a bureau in Christiansburg, ...
.
Track and field
Hall was a
sprinter on the track team and placed sixth at the junior nationals in the
60-meter dash as a junior with a time of 6.93. He also placed third in the state AAA
long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a takeoff point. Along with the triple jump, the two events that measure jumping for distance as a gr ...
as a senior, with a jump of 7.06 meters.
He also ran the
55 metres
55 metres is a sprint event in track and field. It is a relatively uncommon non-championship event for indoor track and field. The history of the event lies in the 60-yard dash, which is about 5 inches shorter than 55 metres. Since the 1960s alm ...
in 6.40 seconds and was a member of the
4 × 100 m (41.76s) relay squad.
College career
Hall recorded 190 tackles, 20 passes defensed, eight interceptions, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and seven receptions for 86 yards with one touchdown in his three-year career at Virginia Tech. He returned 56 punts for 839 yards and five touchdowns. His 839 yards rank third on the Big East Conference career-record chart while his five returns for touchdowns rank second in conference history. Hall is one of the few players in college football history to score touchdowns on offense, defense, and special teams during their collegiate career. His accomplishments in college led to his induction into the
Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame.
Hall majored in secondary education while at Virginia Tech.
Freshman season
Hall started strong in college, and turned in the fastest
40-yard dash among the freshmen at 4.37 in preseason strength and conditioning testing and also bench pressed 300 pounds.
His first collegiate action was in the season-opener against
Connecticut
Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...
, during which he had three tackles, two assists and his first college interception. Hall made his first career start against
Temple
A temple (from the Latin ) is a place of worship, a building used for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. By convention, the specially built places of worship of some religions are commonly called "temples" in Engli ...
, during which he played a season-high 78 total snaps, recording six solo tackles, five assists, two passes broken up and an interception. He had four tackles, including one for a 3-yard loss, during Virginia Tech's loss in the
2002 Gator Bowl against
Florida State
Florida State University (FSU or Florida State) is a Public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preeminent university in the s ...
.
Hall played in all 11 games, starting one, and recorded 24 solo stops, 18 assists, three pass breakups and three interceptions.
Sophomore season
Hall started ten games at cornerback and also returned punts as a sophomore. In the first game of the season against
Arkansas State, he returned a punt 69 yards for a touchdown, and then returned an interception 49 yards for a touchdown. He recorded four tackles and a 51-yard punt return for a touchdown against
Rutgers
Rutgers University ( ), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of three campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College and was aff ...
which helped earn him the
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference (stylized as BIG EAST) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference that competes in National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA NCAA Division I, Division I in 10 men's sports and 12 women's sports. H ...
Co-
Special Teams
In American football, the specific role that a player takes on the field is referred to as their position. Under the modern rules of American football, both teams are allowed 11 players on the field at one time and have "unlimited free substitu ...
Player of the Week honors.
Hall had an assisted tackle and a pass broken up in Virginia Tech's victory in the
2002 San Francisco Bowl against
Air Force
An air force in the broadest sense is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army aviati ...
. He was ranked seventh in the nation in punt returns, averaging 16.0 yards per return, and had a long of 71 yards and two touchdowns. He had 36 solo tackles and 19 assists, four interceptions, 12 passes broken up and a forced fumble.
During spring training, Hall posted the fastest forty time ever for a Tech football player with a timing of 4.15 in Virginia Tech's Rector Field House.
Junior season
As a junior, Hall became the first Tech player in nearly six years to play both ways in a game when he saw ten plays on offense and 28 on defense against
Central Florida
Central Florida is a Regions of the United States#Florida, region of the U.S. state of Florida. Different sources give different definitions for the region, but as its name implies it is usually said to comprise the central part of the state, in ...
.
During the game, he caught two passes for 41 yards, including a 29-yard touchdown, and had two solo tackles and an assist on defense. During the game against
Syracuse, he scored three touchdowns, and set a Virginia Tech and Big East record with two punt returns for touchdowns, as well as a 24-yard touchdown run on offense. After the game, Hall earned Big East Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
He had eight solo tackles and three assists against
Miami
Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
, as well as a forced fumble, fumble recovery and 28-yard touchdown all on the same play to open Tech's scoring. This performance earned him Big East Defensive Player of the Week honors.
After the season, Hall was a second-team
All-America
The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...
n selection, and was a semifinalist for the
Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation's top defensive back, as he ranked sixth on the team with a career-high 93 tackles.
Professional career
Atlanta Falcons
The
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...
selected Hall in the first round (eighth overall) of the
2004 NFL Draft. He was the first cornerback selected in 2004 and became the third highest draft pick from Virginia Tech, following first overall picks
Bruce Smith (1985) and
Michael Vick
Michael Dwayne Vick (born June 26, 1980) is an American college football coach and former player who is the Head coach, head football coach at Norfolk State Spartans football, Norfolk State University. He played quarterback in the National F ...
(2001).
2004
On August 3, 2004, the Atlanta Falcons signed Hall to a five–year, $14.75 million
rookie
A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year).
In contrast with a veteran who has experience, a rookie is typically considered needing more tra ...
contract
A contract is an agreement that specifies certain legally enforceable rights and obligations pertaining to two or more parties. A contract typically involves consent to transfer of goods, services, money, or promise to transfer any of thos ...
that included $7.49 million guaranteed and an initial
signing bonus
A signing bonus or sign-on bonus is a sum of money paid to a new employee (including a professional sports person) by a company as an incentive to join that company. They are often given as a way of making a compensation package more attractive ...
of $2.10 million.
He entered training camp slated as the No. 1 starting cornerback, following the departures of
Tyrone Williams and
Ray Buchanan. In August, Hall suffered an injury to his hip and was subsequently inactive for the first six games of the season (Weeks 1–6).
In his absence, defensive coordinator
Ed Donatell started
Jason Webster
Jason Richmond Webster (born September 8, 1977) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas A&M Aggies football, Tex ...
and
Kevin Mathis
Kevin Bryant Mathis (born April 29, 1974) is an American football coach and former cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He currently serves as the cornerbacks coach for the University of Colorado. During his career as a player, Math ...
.
On October 24, 2004, Hall made his professional regular season debut, but was limited to one pass deflection as the Falcons lost 10–56 at the
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
Established in 1959 ...
. On October 31, 2004, Hall earned his first career start in lieu of Kevin Mathis and recorded four solo tackles during a 41–28 victory at the
Denver Broncos season. Following Week 8, head coach
Jim Mora retained Hall as starting cornerback for the rest of the season. In Week 12, Hall recorded five solo tackles, set a season-high with two pass deflections, and secured the Falcons' 21–24 victory against the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...
by making his first career interception off a pass by
Aaron Brooks to wide receiver
Joe Horn with only nine seconds remaining in the game. On January 2, 2005, Hall set a season-high with six combined tackles (five solo), made two pass deflections, and made the first pick-six of his career after intercepting a pass by
Matt Hasselbeck
Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Seattle Seahawks. He played college football for t ...
to wide receiver
Jerry Rice and returning it 48–yards to score the first touchdown of his career during a 26–28 loss at the
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The club entered the NFL a ...
. He finished his rookie season with a total of 36 combined tackles (29 solo), six pass deflections, two interceptions, a forced fumble, was credited with half a sack, and scored one touchdown in ten games and nine starts.
He also set the record for being the youngest player to return an interception for a touchdown (21 years, 44 days).
The
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...
finished the
2004 NFL season
The 2004 NFL season was the 85th regular season of the National Football League (NFL).
With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004, to January 2, 2005. Hurricanes forced ...
second in the
NFC South
The National Football Conference – Southern Division or NFC South is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It was created before the 2002 NFL season when th ...
with an 11–5 record and earned a first-round bye. On January 15, 2005, Hall started in his first career playoff game and had one six–yard reception as the Falcons defeated the
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis, Missouri, from 1995 through the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, California, where the team had played ...
47–17 in the NFC Divisional Round. On January 23, 2005, Hall started in the
NFC Championship Game
The NFC Championship Game is the annual championship game of the National Football Conference (NFC) and one of the two semifinal National Football League playoffs, playoff games of the National Football League (NFL), the largest professional Ame ...
and recorded four combined tackles (three solo) during a 10–27 loss at the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
.
2005
He entered training camp slated as the ''de facto'' No. 1 starting cornerback. Head coach Jim Mora named him and Jason Webster as the starting cornerbacks to begin the season. On September 12, 2005, Hall started in the
Atlanta Falcons' home-opener against the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
on ''
Monday Night Football
''Monday Night Football'' (often abbreviated as ''MNF'') is the branding used for broadcasts of National Football League (NFL) games that air on Monday nights. It originally ran on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from 1970 NFL season, 1970 t ...
''. Although wide receiver Terrell Owens gained 112 receiving yards, Hall recorded five solo tackles, made two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by
Donovan McNabb
Donovan Jamal McNabb (born November 25, 1976) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, primarily with the Philadelphia Eagles. He played college ...
to
Terrell Owens and was able to stop Owens on many of the Eagles' third down attempts, and his tight coverage of Owens on the last possession of the game helped Atlanta clinch a 14–10 victory. In Week 5, he set a career-high with ten solo tackles during a 28–31 loss against the
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The Pa ...
. On October 16, 2005, Hall made six combined tackles (three solo), a pass deflection, and returned a fumble recovery that linebacker
Michael Boley forced by running back
Antowain Smith 66–yards for a touchdown during a 34–31 victory at the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...
. In Week 16, Hall recorded four combined tackles (three solo), made a pass deflection, and set a career-high with his sixth interception of the season on a pass attempt by
Chris Simms to wide receiver
Joey Galloway during a 24–27 overtime loss at the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (colloquially known as the Bucs) are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC S ...
. He was inactive as the Falcons lost 11–44 to the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...
in Week 17 due to a shoulder injury. He finished the season with 66 combined tackles (59 solo), ten pass deflections, a career-high six interceptions, three fumble recoveries, a forced fumble, and one touchdown in 15 games and 15 starts.
He was selected to the
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players.
The format has changed ...
for the first time in his career in
2005
2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...
.
2006
He returned to training camp as the ''de facto'' No. 1 starting cornerback under defensive coordinator Ed Donatell. He was named a starting cornerback, alongside
Jason Webster
Jason Richmond Webster (born September 8, 1977) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas A&M Aggies football, Tex ...
, for the third consecutive season. In Week 2, Hall made four solo tackles, set a season-high with four pass deflections, and intercepted two passes by Chris Simms during a 14–3 victory against the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (colloquially known as the Bucs) are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC S ...
. On October 1, 2006, Hall made two solo tackles, two pass deflections, and had a pick-six after intercepting a pass thrown by
Kurt Warner and returning it 37–yards for a touchdown as the Falcons defeated the
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The ...
32–10. The following game, he had four solo tackles, broke up two passes, and intercepted a pass by
Eli Manning
Elisha Nelson Manning (born January 3, 1981) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons with the New York Giants. A member of the Manning family, he is the youngest ...
to wide receiver
Tim Carter during a 14–27 loss at the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
in Week 6. Prior to a matchup at the
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its h ...
in Week 8, Hall made a wager with his close friend, wide receiver
Chad Johnson while appearing on the
NFL Network
NFL Network (occasionally abbreviated on-air as NFLN) is an American sports-oriented pay television network owned by the National Football League NTP and is part of NFL Media, which also includes NFL.com, NFL Films, NFL Mobile, NFL Now and N ...
. The wagered on Johnson having two touchdown receptions during the game with Hall agreeing to wait tables at an
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
based restaurant owned by Bengals' tackle
Willie Anderson if Johnson successfully had two touchdown receptions and Johnson agreeing to shave his bleach blonde
mohawk that he had begun sporting that year. Johnson was limited to one touchdown reception as the Falcons won 29–27 at the
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its h ...
and subsequently shaved his mohawk. In Week 15, he set a new season-high with eight solo tackles during a 28–38 loss to the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
. He started all 16 games throughout the
2006 NFL season
The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League (NFL). Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006.
The season began with the reigning Super Bowl XL champion Pittsburgh Steelers defeati ...
for the first time in his career and finished with a total of 58 combined tackles (51 solo), 16 pass deflections, four interceptions, and one touchdown.
2007
The
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...
hired
Bobby Petrino to be their new head coach after firing
Jim Mora following a 7–9 record in
2006
2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification.
Events
January
* January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute.
* January 12 – A stampede during t ...
. Defensive coordinator
Mike Zimmer retained Hall as the No. 1 starting cornerback and paired him with
Lewis Sanders. In Week 3, Hall had as what was described as a "meltdown" in the third quarter during a 20–27 loss against the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...
. As the Falcons led 17–10, Hall had held wide receiver
Steve Smith Sr. without a reception to that point, but was called for a 37–yard pass interference penalty on Smith. One play later, Hall was penalized for roughness for trying to jam Smith at the line.
John Abraham
John Abraham (born 17 December 1972) is an Indian actor and film producer who works in Hindi films. Known for his stoic action hero persona, he is a recipient of a National Film Award along with nominations for four Filmfare Awards. Abraham ha ...
sacked
Jake Delhomme on third down to end the drive, but as Hall walked off the field he would get into a back-and-forth with Steve Smith and was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct which kept the Panthers' drive alive and subsequently led to a touchdown pass from Jake Delhomme to tight end
Jeff King. Hall would then get into heated tirades with head coach Bobby Petrino and assistant coach
Joe Whitt Jr. Due to the incident, Hall would be fined $100,000 by the Falcons and benched for the first half of the next game.
On October 7, 2007, Hall made one solo tackle, a pass deflection, and returned a fumble recovery that defensive end
Jamaal Anderson cause by running back
LenDale White
LenDale Anthony White (born December 20, 1984) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the second round (45th overall) of the ...
for a 56–yard touchdown during a 13–20 loss at the
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. They play the ...
. In Week 6, Hall set a season-high with 11 solo tackles and four pass deflections, while also intercepting a pass by
Eli Manning
Elisha Nelson Manning (born January 3, 1981) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons with the New York Giants. A member of the Manning family, he is the youngest ...
to wide receiver
Amani Toomer during a 31–10 loss to the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
. On October 21, 2007, former Falcons' teammate
Michael Vick
Michael Dwayne Vick (born June 26, 1980) is an American college football coach and former player who is the Head coach, head football coach at Norfolk State Spartans football, Norfolk State University. He played quarterback in the National F ...
was sentenced to 23 months in prison on dogfighting charges. In response, Hall carried a poster of Vick onto the field with him at the
New Orleans Superdome, as the Falcons played against the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...
, and also had "MV7" written on his eye black. He went on to record six combined tackles (five solo) during a 16–22 loss at the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...
and was subsequently fined $10,000 by the NFL for his actions relating to his public show of support for Vick. In Week 9, Hall made four combined tackles (three solo), broke up a pass, and helped secure a 20–16 victory against the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...
by intercepting a pass by
Alex Smith to wide receiver
Darrell Jackson with 2:29 remaining in the game. On December 10, 2007, Falcons' head coach Bobby Petrino unexpectedly resigned as head coach to return to college football after a 3–10 record in
2007
2007 was designated as the International Heliophysical Year and the International Polar Year.
Events
January
* January 1
**Bulgaria and Romania 2007 enlargement of the European Union, join the European Union, while Slovenia joins the Eur ...
. Defensive backs coach
Emmitt Thomas was subsequently appointed to interim head coach for the remainder of the season.He finished with a total of 70 combined tackles (63 solo), 16 pass deflections, five interceptions, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one touchdown in 16 games and 15 starts.
2008
On January 13, 2008, the
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...
hired
Thomas Dimitroff to be their new General Manager. On January 23, 2008, Dimitroff hired
Jacksonville Jaguars' defensive coordinator
Mike Smith as their new head coach.
Oakland Raiders
2008
On March 20, 2008, the
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...
traded Hall to the
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team based in Oakland, California, from its founding in 1960 to 1981, and again from 1995 to 2019 before Oakland Raiders relocation to Las Vegas, relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan ...
for their second-round pick (34th overall) in the
2008 NFL draft
The 2008 NFL draft was the 73rd NFL draft, annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York (state), New York ...
and fifth-round pick (143rd overall) in the
2009 NFL draft. Hall agreed to the trade with a requirement of an immediate contract extension. Immediately after the trade, the Raider signed Hall to a seven–year, $70.00 million contract extension that included $24.50 million guaranteed and a signing bonus of $7.00 million.
He entered training camp slated as the No. 2 starting cornerback under defensive coordinator
Rob Ryan. Head coach
Lane Kiffin
Lane Monte Kiffin (born May 9, 1975) is an American football coach who is the head coach at Ole Miss Rebels football, Ole Miss. Kiffin was the offensive coordinator at USC Trojans football, USC from 2005 to 2006, head coach of the National Foo ...
named Hall a starting cornerback to begin the season, alongside No. 1 starting cornerback
Nnamdi Asomugha
Nnamdi Asomugha ( ; born July 6, 1981) is an American actor, director, producer, and former professional football cornerback who played 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, and San Fran ...
.

On September 21, 2008, Hall made six combined tackles (four solo), was credited with half a sack, made a pass deflection, and made his first interception as a member of the Raiders on a pass attempt by
Trent Edwards to wide receiver
Lee Evans during a 23–24 loss at the
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East div ...
. On September 30, 2008, Raiders' owner
Al Davis
Allen R. Davis (July 4, 1929 – October 8, 2011) was an American professional football executive and coach. He was the managing general partner, principal owner and ''de facto'' general manager of the National Football League (NFL) Oakland Rai ...
fired head coach Lane Kiffin and with the Raiders standing at 1–3 offensive line coach
Tom Cable was appointed to interim head coach for the remainder of the season. In Week 7, Hall set a season-high with eight combined tackles (seven solo) and four pass deflections and also sealed the Raiders' 13–16 win against the
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
after intercepting a pass attempt by
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre ( ; born October 10, 1969) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons, primarily with the Green Bay Packers. Favre had 321 cons ...
to wide receiver
Jerricho Cotchery with only 2:25 remaining in the fourth quarter.
On November 5, 2008, the Oakland Raiders unexpectedly released Hall only eight games into the
2008 NFL season
The 2008 NFL season was the 89th regular season of the National Football League (NFL), themed with the slogan "Believe in Now."
Super Bowl XLIII, the league's championship game, was at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on February 1, ...
. The Raiders paid him $8 million or $1 million for each game due to his contract including a $7 million signing bonus and $1 million guaranteed salary as a veteran. He finished his short stint with the Raiders with 49 combined tackles (43 solo), 13 pass deflections, and three interceptions.
Washington Redskins
2008
On November 8, 2008, the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
signed Hall to a one–year, $1 million contract and subsequently released
cornerback
A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover Wide receiver, receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such Play from scrimmage, offensive running plays as sweep ...
Leigh Torrence to open up a roster spot for Hall. Immediately upon joining the team, head coach
Jim Zorn named Hall the starting nickelback and listed him as the No. 3 cornerback on the depth chart, behind starting cornerbacks
Fred Smoot and
Carlos Rogers. He replaced
Shawn Springs, who remained inactive due to a calf strain that sidelined him for four games.
On November 16, 2008, Hall made his
Washington Redskins' debut and recorded two combined tackles (one solo), broke up one pass, and intercepted a pass by
Tony Romo thrown to wide receiver
Terrell Owens during a 10–14 loss against the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
. Entering Week 14, Hall had supplanted Fred Smoot to become the No. 2 starting cornerback and retained the role for the last four games of the season. In Week 16, he set a new season-high with eight solo tackles and made three pass deflections during a 10–3 win against the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
. He finished his seven game stint (four as a starter) with the Redskins in 2008 with 25 combined tackles (20 solo), two interceptions and eight pass deflections.
2009
On February 27, 2009, the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
signed Hall to a six–year, $54.00 million contract as an
unrestricted free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...
that included $22.50 million guaranteed, $9.50 million guaranteed upon signing, and a
signing bonus
A signing bonus or sign-on bonus is a sum of money paid to a new employee (including a professional sports person) by a company as an incentive to join that company. They are often given as a way of making a compensation package more attractive ...
of $1.50 million.
His contract made him one of the highest paid cornerbacks in the league.
He entered training camp slated as the ''de facto'' No. 1 starting cornerback under defensive coordinator
Greg Blache. Head coach Jim Zorn named him a starting cornerback to begin the season, alongside Carlos Rogers and backups
Fred Smoot and rookie
Kevin Barnes.
On September 13, 2009, Hall started in the Redskins' season-opener at the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
and set a season-high with seven combined tackles (six solo), broke up one pass, and intercepted a pass by
Eli Manning
Elisha Nelson Manning (born January 3, 1981) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons with the New York Giants. A member of the Manning family, he is the youngest ...
to wide receiver
Steve Smith during a 17–23 loss. In Week 5, he tied his season-high of seven combined tackles (five solo), made a pass deflection, and had his second consecutive game with an interception after picking off a pass by
Jake Delhomme to wide receiver
Muhsin Muhammad and returned it for a season-long 44–yards during a 17–20 loss at the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...
. In Week 10, he made five solo tackles, set a season-high with two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by Chris Simms to wide receiver
Brandon Marshall during a 17–27 victory against the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
. He was inactive for three games (Weeks 12–14) after developing back spasms. He finished the season with a total of 58 combined tackles (46 solo), nine pass deflections, and four interceptions in 13 games and 13 starts.
2010
On January 5, 2010, the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
named
Mike Shanahan
Michael Edward Shanahan ( ; born August 24, 1952) is an American football coach, best known as the head coach of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL) from 1995 to 2008. During his fourteen seasons with the Broncos, he led th ...
as their new head coach and vice president of football operations after firing Jim Zorn following an abysmal 4–12 record in
2009
2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...
. Defensive coordinator
Jim Haslett chose to retain Hall and Carlos Rogers as the starting cornerbacks to begin the season with
Phillip Buchanon as the primary nickelback.

On September 12, 2010, Hall started in the Redskins' home-opener against the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
and made eight combined tackles (seven solo), two pass deflections, and recovered a fumble he forced by running back
Tashard Choice and returned it 32–yards for a touchdown as they won 13–7. The following week, he set a season-high with 13 combined tackles (four solo) as the Redskins lost in overtime 27–30 against the
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team plays its home games at N ...
in Week 2. On October 3, 2010, Hall made five combined tackles (four solo), broke up a pass, and sealed the Redskins' 17–12 victory at the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
by intercepting a pass by
Kevin Kolb to wide receiver
Jason Avant with only four seconds remaining in the game. On October 24, 2010, Hall recorded seven solo tackles, set a season-high with four pass deflections, set a career-high with four interceptions off passes thrown by Jay Cutler, and had a highlight-reel one-handed interception in the third quarter that he returned for a 92–yard touchdown as the Redskins won 17–14 at the
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...
. He sealed the Redskins' victory with an interception off a pass by
Jay Cutler
Jay Christopher Cutler (born April 29, 1983) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. A member of the Chicago Bears for most of his career, he is ...
to wide receiver
Johnny Knox with only 2:25 remaining in the game. He tied with 18 other players for the single game interception record, with
Deltha O'Neal (2001) being the last player before Hall to have four interceptions in a game. He currently is the last player to accomplish this as of
2024
The year saw the list of ongoing armed conflicts, continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Myanmar civil war (2021–present), Myanmar civil war, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudane ...
. Hall made all four interceptions in the second half of the game. His jersey worn during his four interception performance was sent to the
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional football (gridiron), professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, 1963, the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of profes ...
after they requested it for public display. The following week, he made six combined tackles (four solo), two pass deflections, and tied his career-high with his sixth interception of the season on a pass thrown by
Matthew Stafford
John Matthew Stafford (born February 7, 1988) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs football, Georg ...
to wide receiver
Calvin Johnson during a 25–37 loss at the
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. The team plays their home game ...
in Week 8. He started in all 16 games throughout the
2010 NFL season
The 2010 NFL season was the 91st regular season (NFL), regular season of the National Football League (NFL) and the 45th of the Super Bowl era.
The regular season began with the National Football League Kickoff game, NFL Kickoff game on NBC S ...
and set a career-high with 95 combined tackles (65 solo), 16 pass deflections, tied his career-high with six interceptions, and had two touchdowns.
His performance throughout the season earned him him third
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players.
The format has changed ...
and he was named the
2011 Pro Bowl MVP after recording six combined tackles, an interception, and returned a fumble recovery for a touchdown to help lead the
NFC to a 55–41 victory against the
AFC.
2011
He returned to training camp slated as the No. 1 starting cornerback following the departure of
Carlos Rogers. Head coach
Mike Shanahan
Michael Edward Shanahan ( ; born August 24, 1952) is an American football coach, best known as the head coach of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL) from 1995 to 2008. During his fourteen seasons with the Broncos, he led th ...
named Hall the No. 1 starting cornerback to begin the season and paired him with
Josh Wilson after Phillip Gaines received a four-game suspension. He also was again selected to be co-defensive captain, alongside
London Fletcher
London Levi Fletcher-Baker (born May 19, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for 16 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the John Carroll Blue Streaks and sign ...
.
In Week 9, he set a season-high with 12 combined tackles (six solo) as the Redskins lost 11–19 against the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...
and former teammate Carlos Rogers. In Week 11, Hall recorded 11 combined tackles (eight solo) as the Redskins lost in overtime 24–27 to the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
. After the loss, Hall said to the press, "The way I'm playing right now, they need to cut me, because I'm definitely not worth what I'm getting." On November 27, 2011, Hall recorded five combined tackles (three solo), set a season-high with five pass break-ups, and was responsible for sealing the Redskins' 23–17 victory at the
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The club entered the NFL a ...
by intercepting a pass attempt by
Tarvaris Jackson to wide receiver
Golden Tate with only 44 seconds remaining. His Week 12 performance at Seattle earned him the NFC Defensive Player of the Week. He started all 16 games throughout the
2011 NFL season
The 2011 NFL season was the 92nd regular season of the National Football League (NFL) and the 46th of the Super Bowl era. It began on Thursday, September 8, 2011, with the Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers defeating the Super Bowl XLI ...
and finished the season with 90 combined tackles (65 solo), 16 pass breakups, and three interceptions, and a forced fumble.
2012
During the 2012 preseason, it was reported that Hall would switch from the outside corner position to the
nickelback
Nickelback is a Canadian Rock music, rock band formed in 1995 in Hanna, Alberta, Hanna, Alberta. Throughout its history, it has consisted of lead guitarist and lead vocalist Chad Kroeger, rhythm guitarist, keyboardist and backing vocalist Ryan ...
position. He returned as the No. 1 starting cornerback, alongside Josh Wilson. On September 19, 2012, Hall started in the
Washington Redskins' season-opener at the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...
and made four combined tackles (three solo) and had his first and only career solo sack on
Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees (; born January 15, 1979) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, Brees is sec ...
for a seven–yard loss during a 40–22 victory. In Week 3, he set a season-high with 11 combined tackles (eight solo) and had one pass break-up as the Redskins list 31–38 to the
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its h ...
. On October 14, 2012, Hall made eight combined tackles (four solo), one pass deflection, and sealed the Redskins' 26–38 victory against the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...
by intercepting a pass in the endzone by
Christian Ponder to wide receiver
Percy Harvin with 28 seconds remaining. In Week 8, Hall recorded six combined tackles (five solo) before being ejected late in the fourth quarter of a 12–27 loss at the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...
after removing his helmet and yelling at a referee. On November 15, 2012, the NFL fined him $30,000 for the incident. On November 22, 2012, Hall made three combined tackles (two solo), two pass deflections, recovered an onside kick, and intercepted a pass by
Tony Romo to wide receiver
Cole Beasley during a 38–31 victory at the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
. He sealed the victory when he recovered an onside kick attempt by
Dan Bailey with 23 seconds remaining and was able to return it 27–yards and had the opportunity to score a touchdown, but opted to slide before entering the goal line to prevent the Cowboys from receiving possession with any time left. He started all 16 games and tied his career-high with 95 combined tackles (68 solo), made 14 pass deflections, four interceptions, and one sack.
2013
On March 11, 2013, the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
released Hall to prevent paying an $8 million guaranteed payout to Hall if he remained on their roster by the start of the new league year that officially begins every year on March 13th. On April 1, 2013, the Washington Redskins re-signed Hall to a one–year $1.25 million contract that included a signing bonus of $250,000. He returned as the No. 1 starting cornerback to begin the season and was paired with rookie
David Amerson.
On September 9, 2013, Hall started in the Redskins' home-opener against the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
, and recorded six combined tackles (three solo) while also returning a fumble recovery for a touchdown during a 27–33 loss. On the opening drive, defensive end
Ryan Kerrigan had a strip/sack on Hall's former teammate on the Atlanta Falcons,
Michael Vick
Michael Dwayne Vick (born June 26, 1980) is an American college football coach and former player who is the Head coach, head football coach at Norfolk State Spartans football, Norfolk State University. He played quarterback in the National F ...
, that was subsequently recovered by Hall and returned for a 75–yard touchdown. In Week 3, Hall made four combined tackles (three solo), two pass deflections, and had a pick-six on an interception on a pass by
Matthew Stafford
John Matthew Stafford (born February 7, 1988) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs football, Georg ...
to wide receiver
Calvin Johnson that he returned for a 17–yard touchdown during a 20–27 loss against the
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. The team plays their home game ...
. On October 27, 2013, Hall recorded four combined tackles (three solo), made two pass deflections, set a season-high with two interceptions, and returned one for a touchdown during a 21–45 loss at the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
. His pick-six occurred when he intercepted a pass by
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the In ...
to wide receiver
Demaryius Thomas and returned it for a 26–yard touchdown. This was the fifth pick-six of his career and was his ninth career touchdown. In Week 10, he set a season-high with 11 combined tackles (seven solo) and forced a fumble during a 27–34 loss at the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...
. In Week 16, he recorded four solo tackles, had two pass break-ups, and intercepted a pass by Tony Romo to wide receiver
Dez Bryant as they lost to the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
24–23. This would mark Hall's 43rd and final interception of his career. He started all 16 games for the third consecutive season in
2013
2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years).
2013 was designated as:
*International Year of Water Cooperation
*International Year of Quinoa
Events
January
* January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...
and finished with a total of 78 combined tackles (57 solo), 13 passes defended, four interceptions, three forced fumbles, and he set a career-high with three interceptions in one season. On December 30, 2013, the Redskins fired head coach Mike Shanahan after a 3–13 record. At the time, his staff included
Kyle Shanahan,
Mike McDaniel,
Matt LaFleur
Matthew Robert LaFleur ( ; born November 3, 1979) is an American professional American football, football coach who is the head coach for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He has served as the quarterback coach of the W ...
,
Sean McVay, and
Raheem Morris.
2014
On February 18, 2014, the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
signed Hall to a four–year, $17.00 million contract extension that included $5.65 million guaranteed, $4.40 million guaranteed upon signing, and an initial signing bonus of $3.25 million after an impressive 2013 season. Head coach
Jay Gruden retained defensive coordinator
Jim Haslett and defensive backs coach Raheem Morris. Hall returned as the No. 1 starting cornerback and was paired with David Amerson.
On September 7, 2014, Hall started in the Redskins' season-opener at the
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team plays its home games at N ...
and set a season-high with eight combined tackles (seven solo) as they lost 6–17. In Week 3, Hall recorded five combined tackles (three solo), forced a fumble, and had a fumble recovery before he was carted off the field in the third quarter of a 24–37 loss at the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
after he apparently injured the heel of his foot. On September 22, 2014, the day following his injury, the Redskins officially placed Hall on injured reserve for the rest of the season (Weeks 4–17) after an
MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to generate pictures of the anatomy and the physiological processes inside the body. MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields, magnetic field gradients, and rad ...
revealed a torn Achilles tendon, requiring surgery. He finished the
2014 NFL season with 16 combined tackles (14 solo), a forced fumble, and one fumble recovery in three games and three starts.
Five weeks after suffering the injury, Hall re-tore his Achilles while at home recovering from the initial injury. On December 31, 2014, the Redskins and defensive coordinator
Jim Haslett agreed to mutually part ways.
2015
On January 21, 2015, the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
hired
Joe Barry as their new defensive coordinator. During his recovery from his torn Achilles, Hall began playing safety on the scoot team. During training camp, he competed against
Chris Culliver,
Bashaud Breeland, and Davis Amerson to regain his role as a starting cornerback. Head coach Jay Gruden named Hall and Chris Culliver the starting cornerbacks to begin the season with
Justin Rogers as the nickelback.
In Week 3, Hall recorded four combined tackles (three solo) before he was carted off in the third quarter of a 21–32 loss at the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
on
Thursday Night Football after suffering a toe injury. He subsequently remained inactive for the next five games (Weeks 4–9) due to his toe injury. Upon his return, Hall was listed as the fourth cornerback on the depth chart, behind Chris Culliver, Bashaud Breeland, and
Will Blackmon. Entering Week 12, head coach Jay Gruden named Hall the
starting strong safety, replacing
Jeron Johnson. He was moved to safety full time following season-ending injuries to
Duke Ihenacho and
Trenton Robinson. On November 29, 2015, Hall started as a safety for the first time in his career and recorded four solo tackles as the Redskins defeated the New York Giants 14–10. In Week 15, he set a season-high with nine combined tackles (eight solo) and broke up a pass during a 25–35 win against the
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East div ...
. On December 26, 2015, Hall made four solo tackles and returned a fumble on a botched handoff by quarterback
Sam Bradford
Samuel Jacob Bradford (born November 8, 1987) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL).
Bradford attended Putnam City North High School, where he starred ...
for a 17–yard touchdown during a 38–24 victory at the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
. With the play, Hall became the first player in NFL history to score five touchdowns off fumble recoveries and five off interception returns in a career. The play also helped the Redskins win the game, and in effect, clinched the NFC East division title for the first time since 2012.
He finished the season with 48 combined tackles (39 solo), two passes defended, and one forced fumble in 11 games and seven starts.
2016
Following the season, the Redskins saw the departures of
Dashon Goldson,
Kyshoen Jarrett, and Trenton Robinson. After they signed
Josh Norman and drafted
Kendall Fuller, defensive coordinator Joe Barry chose to fully-transition Hall to free safety during training camp. Head coach
Jay Gruden named Hall the starting free safety to begin the season and paired him with
David Bruton. On September 12, 2016, Hall started in the Redskins' home-opener against the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...
and set a season-high with six combined tackles (three solo) as they lost 16–38. In Week 3, Hall recorded five combined tackles (four solo) before exiting the game in the second quarter as the Redskins won 29–27 at the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
after he suffered an injury to his right knee while attempting to tackle wide receiver
Odell Beckham Jr.
Odell Cornelious Beckham Jr. (born November 5, 1992), commonly known by his initials OBJ, is an American professional American football, football wide receiver. He played college football for the LSU Tigers football, LSU Tigers and was selected ...
On September 27, 2016, the Redskins officially placed Hall on injured reserve after it was confirmed that he had torn the
ACL in his right knee and would miss the last 13 games (Weeks 4–17) of the
2016 NFL season. He finished the season with only 16 combined tackles (10 solo) and one pass deflection in three games and three starts.
2017
On January 22, 2017, the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
promoted outside linebackers coach
Greg Manusky to defensive coordinator after firing Joe Barry. On September 2, 2017, the Redskins placed Hall on the
physically unable to perform list to start the season in order to recover from his torn ACL. On November 3, 2017, the Redskins activated him off the PUP list and added him to their active roster. He was immediately named a starting safety, alongside
D. J. Swearinger, as
Montae Nicholson was inactive after suffering a concussion the previous game. In Week 9, Hall started in his first appearance of the season and recorded five combined tackles (four solo), made two pass deflections, and also returned two punts during a 17–14 victory at the
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The club entered the NFL a ...
. In Week 11, Hall set a season-high with six combined tackles (five solo) during a 31–34 overtime loss at the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...
. Hall was surpassed on the depth chart and was replaced as a starting safety by
Deshazor Everett. He was inactive as a healthy scratch for the last three games (Weeks 15–17) of the season and the last three games of his career. He finished the
2017 NFL season
The 2017 NFL season was the 98th season in the history of the National Football League (NFL) and the 52nd of the Super Bowl era. The season began on September 7, 2017, with the Kansas City Chiefs defeating the defending Super Bowl LI champion ...
with only 14 combined tackles (11 solo) and two pass deflections in five games and two starts.
2018
Ok May 14, 2018, during an interview with former long-time teammate
Ryan Kerrigan, Hall officially announced his retirement, concluding his 14–year career.
NFL career statistics
Regular season
Records
* Most passes intercepted in a single game (4, tied with several others)
* Most career fumble return yards (328)
* Second-most career fumble return touchdowns (5)
* Only player with at least five fumble return touchdowns and five interception return touchdowns
[
]
Post-playing career
Following his retirement, Hall worked as a guest analyst for NBC Sports Washington and Fox Sports 1
Fox Sports 1 (branded on-air as FS1) is an American pay television television channel, channel owned by the Fox Sports (United States), Fox Sports Media Group, a unit of Fox Corporation. FS1 airs an array of live sporting events, including Majo ...
before being hired by NFL Network
NFL Network (occasionally abbreviated on-air as NFLN) is an American sports-oriented pay television network owned by the National Football League NTP and is part of NFL Media, which also includes NFL.com, NFL Films, NFL Mobile, NFL Now and N ...
in June 2019 as an in-studio analyst for their '' NFL Total Access'' and '' Good Morning Football'' programs. He joined the Washington Football Team to become their gameday radio analyst in 2020, serving alongside play by play announcer Bram Weinstein and host Julie Donaldson.
On September 1, 2022, Hall was inducted into Washington's Greatest Players list in honor of the franchise's 90th anniversary.
On February 18, 2023, the Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...
announced that Hall would be joining new head coach Frank Reich
Frank Michael Reich (; ; born December 4, 1961) is an American football coach and former player who is the interim head coach at Stanford University. He played 14 seasons as a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He became a coac ...
's coaching staff as an assistant defensive backs coach. The assignment is Hall's first coaching job. In February 2024, it was announced that Hall would be retained by the team under new head coach, Dave Canales. On January 31, 2025, Hall and the Panthers parted ways.
Personal life
Hall was sometimes called "MeAngelo" during the early part of his career for his outspoken demeanor and style of play. He is a father of six children. He has advocated for the passage of the FIT Kids Act, which is federal legislation that would require school districts to report on students' physical activity and to give children health and nutritional information.
Hall has been longtime friends with former defensive end
Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football.
This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...
Darryl Tapp since childhood, with the two having gone to the same school from elementary school throughout college. They would become teammates again when they both played for the Redskins in 2013.
References
External links
*
Virginia Tech Hokies bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hall, Deangelo
1983 births
Living people
American football cornerbacks
American football safeties
American radio sports announcers
Atlanta Falcons players
National Conference Pro Bowl players
NFL announcers
NFL Network people
Oakland Raiders players
Players of American football from Chesapeake, Virginia
Players of American football from Atlanta
Virginia Tech Hokies football players
Washington Redskins players
Washington Football Team announcers
21st-century African-American sportsmen
20th-century African-American sportsmen
20th-century American sportsmen
Coaches of American football from Virginia
Carolina Panthers coaches