Patrick Kerney

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For the serial killer with a similar name, see Patrick Kearney.
Patrick Kerney

Patrick Kerney at the Atlanta Falcons Training Camp.
Seattle Seahawks — No. 97
Defensive end
Date of birth: December 30, 1976 (1976-12-30) (age 31)
Place of birth: Trenton, New Jersey
Height: 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) Weight: 273 lb (124 kg)
National Football League debut
1999 for the Atlanta Falcons
Career history
College: Virginia
NFL Draft: 1999 / Round: 1 / Pick: 30
 Teams:
Career highlights and awards
Selected NFL statistics
(through Week 17 of the 2007 NFL season)
Tackles     346
Sacks     72.5
INTs     3
Stats at NFL.com

Patrick Manning Kerney[1] (pronounced /KUR-nee/)[2] (born December 30, 1976 in Trenton, New Jersey), and grew up in Newtown, Pennsylvania, is a professional football player, a defensive end with the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL. He played college football at Virginia, although he was initially recruited to play lacrosse. [3]

Contents

[edit] High school career

At the Taft School (CT), which he attended his sophomore, junior and senior years after attending Princeton Day School, Kerney was a starter in football and a two-year letterman in wrestling. Initially thought by his coach to be too scrawny to play, in football, he was the team captain and Most Valuable Player, while recording three sacks, one blocked punt, one interception, and 84 tackles in just eight games as a junior. He had seven sacks as a sophomore defensive end. In wrestling, he placed second at the All-New England tournament as a senior.

[edit] NFL

Kerney was drafted as the thirtieth overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons, wearing the number 97 jersey. The Falcons signed Kerney to a 5-year $5.6 million contract. [4] As a rookie Kerney started two games (one at left defensive end and one a left defensive tackle) and recorded 25 tackles and 2.5 sacks. In 2000 Kerney was the starting left defensive end and again recorded 2.5 sacks.

In 2001 Kerney recorded 12 sacks. Early in the 2002 season, the Falcons have agreed to a seven-year contract extension with Kerney. The deal, which could be voided after five seasons, included a team-record $8.5 million signing bonus. It could have been worth up to $40 million if all incentives were met. [5] He finished the 2002 season with 10.5 sacks while playing left defensive end in a 3-4 defense. He remained at that position in 2003 and recorded 6.5 sacks.

In 2004 the Falcons returned to a 4-3 defense and Kerney responded with his best season up until that time, playing the Pro Bowl for the first time and recording career-highs in tackles (66), sacks (13) and passes defensed (9). He was also voted second-team All-Pro by the Associated Press.

In 2006 Kerney moved to right defensive end as a starter and moved to left defensive end in passing situations (newly acquired free agent John Abraham played right defensive in in those situations). In week 9 Kerney's 105 game starting streak came to an end with a torn right pectoral muscle that required surgery. (Kerney was injured while tackling Cleveland Browns tight end Steve Heiden.) The seven games he missed were the only games he has missed in his career. In Kerney's absence Abraham was the starter at right defensive end.

On February 23, 2007, Kerney opted out the last two years of his contract with the Atlanta Falcons to become an unrestricted free agent. On March 5, 2007, he signed a six-year, $39.5 million contract with the Seahawks that included $19.5 million in guaranteed money.

With the Seahawks in 2007 he was voted as a starter in the Pro Bowl and led the NFC in sacks with 14.5 (which set a new career-high for Kerney). Kerney also had a career-high 5 forced fumbles and recorded 62 tackles. He missed the Pro Bowl due to shoulder surgery.

[edit] Off The Field Incidents

In December, 2003, Kerney was accused of making insensitive remarks about persons suffering from AIDS-related illnesses on an Atlanta radio program. The story was carried on the front page of Southern Voice newspaper. The following week, gay playwright/columnist Topher Payne wrote an article [6] in support of his former Taft School classmate, saying the remarks were taken out of context, and praising Kerney as one of his own early defenders.

[edit] Personal

Patrick is one of six children. He has four sisters and had a brother who died when Patrick was a child. When he first entered the NFL, he set up a foundation in name of his brother called the Lt. Thomas L. Kerney Endowment Fund [7][8]. The fund provides college scholarships and financial assistance to children of fallen police officers. Kerney donates $1000 per sack he records to the foundation.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Kerney on Pro-Football-Reference. pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  2. ^ Kerney on ESPN. espn.com. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  3. ^ Seattle Times.com
  4. ^ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, June 26, 1999
  5. ^ Sports Network, October 11, 2002
  6. ^ Sovo.com
  7. ^ Lt. Thomas L. Kerney Endowment Fund
  8. ^ Seattle Post-Intelligencer.com

[edit] External links

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