KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Chiefs may well get a good deal out of the three-year contract they agreed to with veteran linebacker Tamba Hali. The odds, though, are against it.

Hali is 32, will turn 33 in November and will be 36 when the new contract concludes in 2018. NFL history suggests the Chiefs would have been better off investing in a younger player.

Age isn’t the only reason to believe Hali is coming to the end of his productive career sooner rather than later. Hali has been bothered the past two seasons by sore knees, which limited his practice time. He also broke his thumb late last season. The injuries could be a sign that Hali, who otherwise missed just two games because of injury in his 10-year NFL career, can no longer handle the physical demands.

There are plenty of sentimental reasons to like the signing. Hali, the Chiefs’ first-round draft pick in 2006, will likely play his entire career in Kansas City. He came to the U.S. from Liberia when he was 10 and could speak a little English, but could neither read nor write in his new language.

He plays with relentless effort that has made him a fan favorite in Kansas City and allowed him to flourish in those 10 NFL seasons. He has 86 career sacks, putting him in the top 50 on the NFL’s all-time list.

But sentiment doesn’t win championships. Good football decisions do. Perhaps this one will turn out well for the Chiefs.

At this point, though, that’s not the percentage call.