Kennedy retired on his own terms

FAYETTEVILLE -- Former Arkansas and NFL safety Kenoy Kennedy stopped playing football when he was still in demand.

The Detroit Lions released Kennedy after the 2007 season for salary cap reasons, but the team wanted to re-sign him to a less expensive contract. The New York Jets also showed interest.

"My agent called me and said, 'The Jets want to fly you up and work you out,' " Kennedy said. "I said, 'No, I'm good.' He was like, 'What?'

"I said, 'I'm good. I'm retiring.' I walked away from the game, and I haven't looked back since."

Kennedy, 36, was a four-year starter for the Razorbacks in 1996-1999, then played seven seasons in the NFL with the Denver Broncos and Lions.

"I don't miss the game at all," said Kennedy, who was inducted into the UA Sports Hall of Honor on Friday night. "I played a lot of football, so I got my football fix out of the way.

"I gave it all to the game and got what I could out of it, and then it was time to pass the torch."

Kennedy was ready for life after football with a financial plan for the future in place. He owns 16 houses he rents to families and co-owns a home health care company with a former Broncos teammate.

"I actually make more money now than I did my first couple of years in pro football," said Kennedy, a second-round draft pick by Denver in 2000.

Kennedy, who lives in Forney, Texas, said he's able to spend plenty of quality time with his wife, Charressa, and their three children -- sons Ky, 9, and Tyce, 6, and daughter Journey, 1.

"I married my high school sweetheart, and she was there with me when I didn't have a dime,' " Kennedy said. "The thing I love about her, if something's not on sale, she doesn't want it.

"I tell her, 'Go ahead and get it.' She says, 'No, I'll wait until it goes on sale.' I kind of picked up that mentality from her."

Kennedy came to Arkansas from Terrell, Texas, where he played cornerback and receiver. His final choices included Texas A&M, Kansas State and Kansas.

Arkansas was the only school recruiting him to play defense, Kennedy said, and the Razorbacks provided an opportunity for immediate playing time.

"Arkansas recruited me as a safety, because I was aggressive," Kennedy said. "I didn't want to redshirt. I wanted to play as a freshman -- because I knew I had the talent to play."

Kennedy won a starting job midway through his freshman season and finished his Arkansas career with 287 tackles. He was an All-SEC player in 1998 and 1999.

"Kenoy changed our defense because of the mentality he brought to the position," said Marvin Caston, a Razorback Foundation associate director who was Kennedy's Arkansas teammate. "When he hit you, you knew you'd been hit.

"Before Kenoy came here, our defense didn't have anybody behind us on the third level that other teams feared. He came in and changed that."

Kennedy said the highlight of his Arkansas career was helping the Razorbacks beat No. 3 Tennessee 28-24 in Fayetteville during the 1999 season. He was especially happy for quarterback Clint Stoerner, who the previous season slipped and fumbled, setting up a touchdown that helped the No. 1 Vols rally to win 28-24.

"Clint was the first guy I went to find after the game," Kennedy said. "We hugged like we were long-lost brothers."

Kennedy said he remains close to many of his Arkansas teammates.

"When I think about college, those were the best days of my life football-wise," Kennedy said. "I wouldn't trade my college days for my pro days.

"On the pro level, football is a job. We had fun on Sundays, but every other day it's a job. You eat, sleep, breath football.

"In college, you make good friends, and they're there for you the rest of your life. But in the pros, you meet a guy and he could be cut the next week. So you really can't get too attached to people."

Kennedy played in 115 NFL games and had 536 tackles with 10 interceptions, 7 forced fumbles and 4 fumble recovers.

"I didn't grow up dreaming of playing in the NFL," he said. "Football just kind of fell in my lap, but once I started playing and realized I was pretty good.

"I said, 'Well, I'm going to try to keep playing and see where it takes me.' It took me to the highest level."

Kennedy said he is humbled and honored to be in the UA Sports Hall of Honor, where inductees on voted on by Arkansas letter winners in all sports who belong to the A Club.

"It's awesome to get inducted by your peers," Kennedy said. "That means a lot.

"Guys who have seen you play or played with you, to earn the respect of those guys is big time."

Sports on 09/07/2014