How Detroit Lions WR Tom Kennedy has overcome odds to stick in NFL

Story by

Story by
How Detroit Lions WR Tom Kennedy has overcome odds to stick in NFL

Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press · Detroit Free Press

Sun, Dec 14, 2025 ·

7 min read

About Our Ads

Veteran wide receiver Tom Kennedy averaged 40 yards on three kick returns to help key the Detroit Lions ' 44-30 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 14.

Kennedy, 29, has been with the Lions since 2019, mostly in a practice squad role.

He joined the Free Press for this week's Five Questions.

Some questions and answers have been edited for clarity and brevity.

Dan Campbell gave you a game ball for your performance last week. How meaningful was that given the path your career has taken?

Yeah, it was great. I feel like I've gotten a lot of attention the last couple weeks and it's been - I mean, it's a good thing because you're playing well, but you also just kind of want to move on to the next game.

Detroit Lions kick returner Tom Kennedy (85) runs against Dallas Cowboys during the second half at Ford Field in Detroit on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025.

You prefer to keep flying under the radar?

No, you want to be making plays and you want to be helping the team out. And I understand what that comes with, but at the same time, just, I guess having the long weekend, too, just a lot of that kind of gets extended.

How special is it to you, not just the game ball but to make the impact you've made?

I think people on the outside are making it more than what it is, in my opinion, but I understand how it's – I guess I haven't had a ton of success in my career, which I know, but I think it's just another example of just hard work paying off and just staying ready.

What do you want to take from your journey? You've played seven years in the NFL. Not many people make it that long.

Just stay ready. In my case, I was always just trying to stay employed. I'd much rather be here at any capacity than be back home wishing I was here. I try not to look at it too negatively and just staying ready.

You played pro lacrosse before coming to the NFL. What did you learn from that experience that translated to here?

That was different because if we had a game Saturday night, you'd show up like Friday night, practice, you'd sleep at the hotel, wake up, shoot around, play the game, and then go home. So it was like pickup almost. It was like pickup hoops, but lacrosse. It obviously doesn't compare to the amount of time and effort and resources that you put into something like this. It was fine, and it was fun for a summer while I was in college to make some money and you're working, you're making money doing something that you enjoy and you get to compete. But in terms of it comparing to what this is, it's like night and day.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Tom Kennedy (85) celebrates a catch for a first down against Green Bay Packers during the first half at Ford Field in Detroit on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025.

If you could pick a third sport to play professionally now or in a future life, what would it be?

Now, I wish my golf game was at that point, which it's not. But growing up I played baseball, basketball. I was all right, but obviously not nearly as good as the other two sports. But if I could pick, yeah, golf. It'd be fun to be that good at golf.

What do you shoot?

Usually by like the middle or end of the summer, like high 80s, on easy courses, honestly. It's more enjoyable for me if the ball's in play and I'm not shooting around 100. Back home where they had the Ryder Cup, Bethpage, not the Black but the other courses, some of those are fairly easy and open and kind of short, so I like playing those. It's fairly cheap, so that's fun. Some of the tougher courses, it's not that fun for me. Especially when it gets narrow and long.

Christmas is coming up. What's the silliest thing you bought or had your parents buy for you as a kid?

I don't know the silliest thing. We would always get scratch-offs in our stockings growing up. Me and my four siblings, so it was fun to compete. Not that you had any control over it, but to see who would win the most money. I can't think of anything too (crazy) that I've bought. There's definitely a ton, but off the top of my head, I don't know.

What's the most you ever won in a scratch-off?

Not much, but it was like a few-year stretch when I was young where I would win the most, which was nice. But I feel like the last few years, whether it's birthday or something else, like, haven't had a ton of success with scratch-offs.

What's your favorite Christmas gift you've ever given someone?

I'm not sure. Probably my fiancé, something that I've gotten her, honestly. It was after Christmas, but I got us like a Le Creuset Dutch oven, so we enjoy using that and all the meals that come with that. I've gotten her clothes or sneakers, stuff like that which is all good, but I guess the meals that we've been able to make in that, that's like not just a gift but it adds meals together.

Do you cook?

Yeah, I do most of the cooking during the offseason when I'm home.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Tom Kennedy (85) makes a catch against Buffalo Bills linebacker Mike Bell (43) during the second half of the preseason game at Ford Field in Detroit on Friday, Aug. 13, 2021.

What's your go-to meal? What's your specialty?

I love cooking breakfast. Breakfast is usually the easiest for me to cook. Whether it's just a scrambled egg with veggies, some type of protein, stuff like that. Or basically you make that and then just throw it into a burrito. I love breakfast burritos. And then I made chili a few times last year. That came out pretty good. I like to grill, cause that's pretty easy. It's not as tedious. But I think inside meal, like in the Dutch oven, was probably the chili.

You played so many sports. As a kid, what was the first jersey you had? Any sport, any athlete.

I don't know first one. I know I got a LaDainian Tomlinson powder blue. Maybe like, early middle school or something like that. And that was cool, cause that was like the nicest jersey I thought, growing up and he was one of my favorite players. So I don't know the first one, but that was that was a favorite.

Were you a running back, back then?

Well, I mean, we ran in like wishbone, so we probably threw the ball once or twice a game, maybe. So, yeah, I played running back and linebacker, corner/safety, whatever.

Brad Holmes asks this in the draft process so I'll ask you: What's your why? Why do you keep doing this?

I just genuinely enjoy it, honestly. Like, the mental aspect, the competitive nature of it. As you get older, too, the, can you keep on doing it? As somebody who's proven you can do it, you're good enough to stick around, like how long can you do it now? So it just, I mean, every day in here is a challenge. You've got so many great athletes and stuff. So yeah, I just get a lot of enjoyment out of it. And then everything that comes with the whole cat-and-mouse game, offense vs. defense, all the special teams plays. Just so much that goes into it. Yeah, it's a lot of fun in both from a mental aspect of like game plan and also a competitive, physical aspect.

Has this experience been more rewarding than you ever could have imagined?

Yeah, I mean, I don't know what I'm going to do when I'm done, but I've been lucky enough to not have to face that yet. So I'm just trying to keep playing as long as I can, honestly, cause, like I said, I enjoy it a lot.

Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com . Follow him on Bluesky , X and Instagram at @davebirkett.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions WR Tom Kennedy just trying to stay employed

Mobilize your Website

View Site in Mobile | Classic

Share by: