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Tom Kennedy (wide receiver)

Tom Kennedy
No. 85 – Detroit Lions
Position:Wide receiver
Personal information
Born: (1996-07-29) July 29, 1996 (age 28)
Farmingdale, New York, U.S.
Height:5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight:195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High school:Farmingdale
(Farmingdale, New York)
College:Bryant
Undrafted:2019
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
  • First-team All-NEC (2017)
Career NFL statistics as of 2023
Receptions:14
Receiving yards:195
Return yards:89
Passing attempts:1
Passing completions:1
TD–INT:1–0
Passing yards:75
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Tom Kennedy (born July 29, 1996) is an American professional football wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He is also a former professional lacrosse player. He played college football at Bryant.

College career

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Kennedy committed to play both football and lacrosse at Bryant University. He initially quit football after his freshman year in order to focus on lacrosse and was a first team All-Northeast Conference selection midfielder in 2017 as he helped the team to an appearance in the 2017 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship. He ultimately decided to return to football going into his senior year and was named first team All-NEC after catching 57 passes for 888 yards and nine touchdowns, while also rushing 66 yards and three touchdowns on 12 carries. Kennedy was again named All-NEC at midfielder in his final lacrosse season. He returned to Bryant from playing professional lacrosse to play a final season of college football and had 33 receptions for 410 yards and a touchdown.[1]

Professional lacrosse career

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Kennedy was drafted in the third round of the 2018 Major League Lacrosse Draft by the Boston Cannons. He played in six games for the team during the 2018 season before leaving to play football at Bryant as a graduate student.[2] He is one of two people (Chris Hogan) to play in both a pro lacrosse and football game.

Professional football career

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Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
5 ft 10+3⁄8 in
(1.79 m) 		197 lb
(89 kg) 		30 in
(0.76 m) 		9+3⁄8 in
(0.24 m)		 4.55 s 4.08 s 6.66 s 37.0 in
(0.94 m)		 10 ft 4 in
(3.15 m)		 22 reps
All values from Pro Day[3]

Kennedy signed with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent on May 12, 2019, after participating in a rookie minicamp.[4] He was waived on August 31, 2019, as part of final roster cuts at the end of training camp but was re-signed to the team's practice squad the following day.[5] Kennedy was promoted to the Lions' active roster on September 27, 2019.[6] Kennedy made his NFL debut on September 29, 2019, against the Kansas City Chiefs.[7] He was waived on October 14 and re-signed to the practice squad.[8] On December 30, 2019, Kennedy was signed to a reserve/future contract.[9]

On September 5, 2020, Kennedy was waived by the Lions and signed to the practice squad the next day.[10][11] He signed a reserve/future contract on January 5, 2021.[12]

On October 17, 2021, due to injuries to fellow receivers Tyrell Williams and Quintez Cephus, Kennedy caught his first NFL catch in a 34–11 loss against the Cincinnati Bengals. In the same game, he also returned 4 kicks for 83 yards.[13] He was waived on November 8, 2021, and re-signed to the practice squad.[14] He was promoted back to the active roster on November 20. On January 9, 2022, Kennedy recorded his first NFL touchdown, throwing a 75-yard touchdown pass to Kalif Raymond on a trick play against the Green Bay Packers. The Lions went on to defeat the Packers, 37–30.[15]

On August 30, 2022, Kennedy was waived by the Lions and signed to the practice squad the next day.[16][17] He was promoted to the active roster on October 5.[18] He was waived on December 17 and re-signed to the practice squad. He signed a reserve/future contract on January 9, 2023. He was waived/injured on July 28, 2023, and placed on injured reserve.[19] He and the Lions reached an injury settlement on August 7, 2023.[20]

On November 29, 2023, Kennedy was signed to the practice squad.[21] He signed a reserve/future contract on January 30, 2024.[22]

Kennedy was released by the Lions on August 27, 2024, and re-signed to the practice squad.[23][24] He was promoted to the active roster on December 21.[25]

References

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  1. ^ Rothstein, Michael (June 12, 2019). "Why ex-lacrosse pro is chasing NFL dreams with the Lions". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
  2. ^ "Former Cannon Tom Kennedy Makes Detroit Lions Practice Squad". Cannons.MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. September 3, 2019. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
  3. ^ "2019 Draft Scout Tom Kennedy, Bryant NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile". draftscout.com. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  4. ^ Schlitt, Erik (May 12, 2019). "Lions sign 2 WRs, release 2 TEs following rookie minicamp". Lions Wire. USA Today. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
  5. ^ Meinke, Kyle (September 1, 2019). "Detroit Lions sign 10 players to practice squad". MLive.com. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
  6. ^ Alper, Josh (September 27, 2019). "Lions promote WR Tom Kennedy from practice squad". Profootballtalk.com.
  7. ^ Schlitt, Erik (September 30, 2019). "Lions week 4 snap counts: McKissic, Ford and Wilson see increased roles due to injury". Lions Wire. USA Today. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
  8. ^ "Lions sign DT John Atkins to active roster". DetroitLions.com. October 14, 2019.
  9. ^ "Lions report 11 Reserve/Future signings". DetroitLions.com. December 30, 2019. Archived from the original on April 7, 2020. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  10. ^ "Lions announce roster moves". DetroitLions.com. September 5, 2020.
  11. ^ "Lions establish practice squad". DetroitLions.com. September 6, 2020.
  12. ^ "Lions announce Reserve/Future signings". DetroitLions.com. January 5, 2021. Archived from the original on January 15, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  13. ^ "Tom Kennedy 2021 Gamelog stats", espn.com, October 25, 2021
  14. ^ "Lions shaking up WR room: Tom Kennedy waived, Amon-Ra St. Brown's role expanding". Pride of Detroit. SB Nation. November 8, 2021.
  15. ^ "Kennedy records first-career touchdown Sunday for Lions". January 10, 2022.
  16. ^ "Lions announce roster moves". DetroitLions.com. August 30, 2022. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved September 3, 2022.
  17. ^ "Lions announce roster moves". DetroitLions.com. August 31, 2022.
  18. ^ "Lions sign WR Tom Kennedy to active roster in busy day of roster moves". Lions Wire. USA Today. October 5, 2022.
  19. ^ Alper, Josh (July 28, 2023). "Lions sign Trey Quinn, waive Tom Kennedy". NBC Sports. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  20. ^ "Lions sign OL Bobby Hart". www.nbcsports.com. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  21. ^ Booher, Christian. "Lions Open Practice Window for Hendon Hooker, Sign Tom Kennedy". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  22. ^ Schlitt, Erik (January 30, 2024). "Update: Detroit Lions sign 12 players to futures contracts". Pride Of Detroit. SB Nation. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  23. ^ "Lions announce roster moves". DetroitLions.com. August 27, 2024. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  24. ^ "Lions announce roster moves". DetroitLions.com. August 28, 2024. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  25. ^ "Detroit Lions activate Ifeatu Melifonwu, sign 3 players to 53-man roster". Pride of Detroit. December 21, 2024.
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