Bring Back Multi-Sport Star for Another Stint in Detroit

More than a month after a workout with the team, wide receiver Tom Kennedy is coming back to the Detroit Lions.

The team announced on November 29 that the receiver, who spent parts of five seasons in Detroit, had signed with the practice squad. The Lions had originally held a workout with Kennedy in October after veteran Marvin Jones Jr. left the team due to a personal matter, and now he has a chance to add depth.

Preseason Standout Returns
Kennedy originally signed with the Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2019, playing three seasons and making 14 receptions for 195 total yards. Kennedy was back with the team in training camp this summer, but he was waived in August with an injury settlement, CBS Sports.

As SI.com’s Christian Booher noted, Kennedy became popular with fans after standout preseason performances and a 75-yard touchdown pass to Kalif Raymond in the 2021 season finale.

“Kennedy is a familiar face to Detroit fans, as he has spent parts of the last five seasons with the organization. Many remember his performance in the 2022 preseason in which he stood out,” Booher wrote.

As ESPN reported, Kennedy was a multi-sport star in high school and was recruited to Bryant University to play both lacrosse and football. After a strong college lacrosse career, he was drafted by the Major League Lacrosse’s Boston Cannons in the 2018 draft. When the Lions signed Kennedy in 2019, he became the first athlete ever to play in a professional lacrosse league and the NFL.

As Booher reported, Kennedy will replace Dylan Drummond on the practice squad.

“The rookie particularly stood out in the preseason, catching nine passes for 87 yards in the Lions’ three games. He was waived following the preseason but signed back with the Lions’ practice squad,” Booher wrote.

Booher added that Drummond failed to stand out in his short time on the field this season.

“Drummond was elevated for his NFL debut in Week 5 against Carolina but did not catch a pass,” Booher wrote. “The Eastern Michigan product has not been elevated since, and the Lions have gotten deeper at the position with the acquisition of Donovan Peoples-Jones at the trade deadline.”

Lions Staying Steady on Offense
After a rough loss to the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving and six turnovers from Jared Goff in the last two games, Lions head coach Dan Campbell said the team needs to focus on getting back on track on offense.

“The easy thing is to get in panic mode,” he told reporters after the loss to the Packers, via NFL.com. “I know what it looks like, and we’ve been good enough out there, but I’m not panicked. We got the right guys who know how to play. We’re going to clean some things up, and we’ll have six (games) to go when we get back. And the fight is on now. I mean, they think these are going to be some cruise control. We’re going to have to fight and scratch and fight and claw for everything, man. We have to. That’s the type of team we are. That’s where we’re at.”