- Eddie Kennison
Infobox NFLactive
name=Eddie Kennison
currentteam=St. Louis Rams
currentnumber=86
currentposition=Wide receiver
birthdate=birth date and age|1973|1|20
birthplace=Lake Charles, Louisiana
heightft=6
heightin=1
weight=201
debutyear=1996
debutteam=St. Louis Rams
college=Louisiana State
draftyear=1996
draftround=1
draftpick=19
pastteams=
*St. Louis Rams (1996-1998)
*New Orleans Saints (1999)
*Chicago Bears (2000)
*Denver Broncos (2001)
*Kansas City Chiefs (2001-2007)
* St. Louis Rams (2008-present)
status=Active
nfl=KEN711183Edward Joseph Kennison, III (born
January 20 1973 in city-state|Lake Charles|Louisiana) is anAmerican football wide receiver for theSt. Louis Rams of theNational Football League . He was drafted by the Rams 19th overall in the1996 NFL Draft . He playedcollege football at Louisiana State.Kennison has also played for the
New Orleans Saints , theChicago Bears , theDenver Broncos and theKansas City Chiefs between stints with the Rams.Early years
Eddie Kennison attended Washington-Marion High School in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and was a star in both football and track. In football, as a senior, he was a "Parade" All-American despite playing only six games. He finished his senior year with 27 receptions for 497 yards (18.4 yards per reception avg.). As a junior, he hauled in 59 receptions for 1,205 yards (an average of 20.4 yards per reception) and 23
touchdown s. For his efforts, he was the first person in his school's history to have his number retired.College career
Kennison was also a noted sprinter in college, where he was a six-time
All-America selection. He led the Tigers 4x100-meter relay team to the 1994 NCAA Outdoor Championship, and also qualified for theNCAA Championships in the 4x100, 4x200, 4x400 and the 200 meters during his time at LSU.Professional career
First stint with Rams
Kennison was selected 19th overall by the St. Louis Rams in the
1996 NFL Draft , a draft which was remarkably deep in wide receivers. His first season with the Rams was excellent, as he finished second toTerry Glenn in yards and receptions for rookies, and led the rookie wide receiver class in touchdowns] . It was noted regularly at the time that Kennison and Glenn had outproduced number one overall pickKeyshawn Johnson . His 1997 and 1998 seasons with the Rams were far less productive, as he battled nagging injuries in a lacklustre Rams offense.New Orleans Saints
In 1999, he moved on to the New Orleans Saints, where he would lead the team in receptions and yards. This Saints team was notable for using four different starting
quarterback s over the course of the year as they struggled to a 3-13 record.Chicago Bears
In 2000, Kennison would move on to the Chicago Bears, where he continued a pattern of unspectacular but reliable production. He finished second on the team to
Marcus Robinson in receiving yards, and tied Robinson for the team lead in receptions.Denver Broncos
In 2001, Kennison signed with the
Denver Broncos . He earned a starting role out of training camp, but after eight unproductive games, Kennison requested to be released from the team only a few hours before a game in which he was scheduled to start. He stated at the time he had "lost his love for the game", and as a result Kennison retired and was released onNovember 15 ,2001 . The loss of Kennison, along with a severe injury toEd McCaffrey decimated a once dominant Broncos corps of wide receivers.Kansas City Chiefs
Kennison unexpectedly resurfaced less than a month later, signing with the Broncos' arch-rival
Kansas City Chiefs onDecember 3 ,2001 , to the outrage of Broncos coachMike Shanahan [http://www.majorwager.com/forums/mess-hall/133710-kc-wide-receiver-eddie-kennison-blasts-denver-broncos-coach-mike-shanahan.html] . Kennison would lead the Chiefs in receiving his first game as a starter.As a member of the Chiefs, from 2002 to 2006 Kennison was one of the most productive receivers in the NFL. Kennison averaged 59 receptions, 961 yards, and 5 touchdown catches during this span. This production has put Kennison in the Chiefs' top 10 in every major receiving category.
In 2007, Kennison sustained a severe
hamstring injury on the first play of the regular season, and did not play much after the injury. He was released the following offseason on February 26, 2008.econd stint with Rams
Kennison was re-signed by the Rams on
September 9 ,2008 .cite web|url=http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/rams/story/F0A327BF16BA4F0A862574BF00711E59?OpenDocument|title=10 years later, Kennison returns to Rams|last=Thomas|first=Jim|date=2008-09-10|accessdate=2008-09-10] The team released rookielinebacker David Vobora to make room for Kennison.Kennison was released by the Rams on October 7, then re-signed just hours later after it was learned Rams
wide receiver Dane Looker was not yet cleared to play after suffering aconcussion [http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/rams/story/94FC86E66F675E51862574DB007510C5?OpenDocument] .Career statistics
Year Team G GS Rec Yards AVG TD Lg 1996 Stl 15 14 54 924 17.1 9 77 1997 Stl 14 9 25 404 16.2 0 76 1998 Stl 16 13 17 234 13.8 1 45 1999 NO 16 16 61 835 13.7 4 90 2000 Chi 16 10 55 549 10.0 2 26 2001 Den 8 8 15 169 11.3 1 65 2001 KC 5 5 16 322 20.1 0 65 2002 KC 16 14 53 906 17.1 2 64 2003 KC 16 16 56 853 15.2 5 51 2004 KC 14 14 62 1086 17.5 8 70 2005 KC 16 16 68 1102 16.2 5 55 2006 KC 16 16 53 860 16.2 5 51 2007 KC 8 8 13 101 7.8 0 18 Totals 176 153 548 8345 15.2 42 90 External links
* [http://www.eddiekennisonfoundation.com/ Eddie Kennison Foundation]
* [http://www.stlouisrams.com/team/players/68643/ St. Louis Rams bio]References
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