Lions ‘Pitbull’ WR Is Trustworthy, Longest Tenured Player

Detroit Lions wide receiver Tom Kennedy is embarking on his eighth NFL season.

His improbable run with the team is based on earned trust and dedication to meeting his potential. The 29-year-old signed as an undrafted free agent back in 2019.

Steadily, the former Bryant football and lacrosse player gained the trust of his teammates and the Lions' coaching staff.

“He’s invaluable. I can get in any game with him, no matter if he hasn’t had a (practice) rep, do a five-minute crash course on our entire offense, and he can go play it to a tee. But it’s not that he can just go play it, every time he gets in, he makes a play," said receivers coach Scottie Montgomery. "The guys that can play the game from an FBI (football intelligence standpoint), football IQ, and timing standpoint without practicing. Those guys are always going to be valuable.

“The one thing that I can think of, there’s no better term than pitbull. He is a pitbull, 100%. He is going to be as efficient as he possibly can be, but he is going to fight through the echo of the whistle. And there’s skill there," Montgomery added further. "That’s what people don’t realize. When you say pitbull, you think it’s just ferocity and tenacity. No, there’s a tremendous amount of skill. I’m proud as hell of him. I know who he is. I don’t have to worry about anything with him. I know exactly what he’s going to do.”

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Kennedy has been the definition of resilient, as he has been released and not made the final 53-man roster on multiple occasions.

But head coach Dan Campbell has allowed Kennedy to steadily meet his potential on the teams practice squad.

Even though Tom Brady said this offseason some players are not able to handle the pressure of being called up, Kennedy has made the most of his opportunities, when he has been elevated on gamedays.

He has recorded 18 career receptions for 231 yards in seven years. After the departure of left tackle Taylor Decker, Kennedy is now the longest tenured member of the roster.

While his role has been primarily on special teams, Kennedy is expecting to compete yet again for a roster spot, as the Lions' entire roster has reported for training camp.

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