Patrick Kerney
| Seattle Seahawks | |
|---|---|
| Career information | |
| College: | Virginia |
| NFL draft: | 1999 / round: 1 / pick: 30 |
| Career history | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
Patrick Manning Kerney (born December 30, 1976 in Trenton, New Jersey), and grew up in Newtown, Pennsylvania, is an American football defensive end with the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL. He played college football at the University of Virginia, although he was initially recruited to play lacrosse.
High school career
At the Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut, which he attended his junior and senior year after attending Princeton Day School, Kerney was a starter in football and a two-year letterman in wrestling. 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.
Pro career
Kerney used to play for the Atlanta Falcons, wearing the number 97[1] jersey. He started out playing outside linebacker and struggled for a couple of years. When Atlanta switched to a 4-3 defense, he was back at defensive end. He played in the 2005 Pro Bowl.
In 2006, 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.) He did not return to the game following this injury.
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.
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 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.
On March 19, 2007, a woman claimed she was raped at the home of Patrick Kerney. Kerney alleges he was asleep at the time, and has declined to comment further. Police have indicated that he is not a suspect. [2] (*Note: The woman involved in the rape case has also noted that Patrick was not involved)
Personal
Patrick is one of six children. He has four sisters and a brother that passed away when he 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 [3]. The fund provides college scholarships and financial assistance to children of fallen police officers.